Until the Day I Love
by BluBooThalassophile
Summary: Timid, shy, and his friend he continuously over looked her as time continued to slip by as the villages were rebuilt, lives were brought back to a semblance of order, and the world was recovering from war. He just never noticed how he slowly fell for her, at least he never noticed until he went to the moon and back for the Byakugan Princess.
1. Part 1: Chapter 1

**2/11/2016: A Special Shout Out to My Amazing Beta, The Awesome Stickman6969! Who is patiently, and thoroughly editing Until the Day I Love. Thank You Again For Doing The Needed Edits! =)**

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 **JUST FORWARNING YOU, THERE ARE NO INSTANT COUPLES, QUICK STORY PLOTS IN ANY OF THE UNTIL THE DAY I... STORIES! THESE ARE SLOW PACE STORIES! AND THEY ARE LABELED DRAMA NOT ROMANCE!**

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 **I Do Not Own Naruto**

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After the Fourth Great Shinobi War the injured were dispersed throughout the Shinobi Allied Forces for care and treatment of psychological traumas and the physical wounds sustained in battle. Shinobi were taken to the village which would suit the needs of their injuries. Many of the critically injured and dying were taken to Konohagakure for treatment; among them were:

-Jinchūriki; Uzumai Naruto

-Jinchūriki; Killer B

-Hatake Kakashi

-Raikage; A

-Mizukage; Mei

-Kazekage; Gaara

-Hokage; Tsunade

-Nara Shikamaru

-Temari

-Sai

-Yamanaka Ino

-Akimichi Chōji

And the renowned criminal and rogue-nin:

-Uchiha Sasuke

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 **Chapter 1**

The loses in the Hyūga Clan were immense, but no lose was more painful than the loss of Hyūga Neji. It was a few days after the war, she was standing in the rain with her father and her sister in the pouring rain. She had always looked to Neji like he were her brother, relied on him, looked to him for inspiration, and guidance, and she had loved him. Great Kami had she loved his cold, temperamental, superior attitude and all. Neji had meant the world to her before he had sacrificed himself before she could die in his stead. He'd died protecting her and the man she loved, not that Neji had ever really approved of her liking the Uzumaki boy.

However, he had died in her and Naruto's place, and she was breaking knowing this.

But looking at Tenten, she knew no one was hurting as much as the older woman. Tenten was collapsed before Neji's grave on the Hyūga family grave. She was technically not allowed here, nor would she have been welcomed, but when the death of Neji had finally hit her, she had collapsed in tears. In war there was no time to mourn, Hinata knew this. Now however, the war was over, and life was returning to semblance of normalcy and the grief was slamming into the friends and family of the dead. Hinata had barely been able to catch Tenten when she had finally collapsed in sobs when she turned to talk to Neji only to find him not there.

No one was entirely certain what the young woman's relationship with Neji had been, there'd been rumors which had flitted around the village, but no one had been able to confirm nor deny the rumors, and Tenten didn't seem inclined to reveal it. However, the sobbing woman was brought to the funeral today, in the rain and no one in the Hyūga clan dared to deny her access as they buried Neji with his father and mother.

Hiashi touched her shoulder, which had her glancing at her father then looking behind herself at the long since gone clan members. Her father took Hanabi's hand as he walked away with her little sister to follow the retreating clan. Hinata did not follow them though. Timidly, she walked over to the woman who was just hugging herself and sobbing on the ground as the rain pelted them mercilessly and crouched down beside her. She didn't know what to say, she didn't know what to think or do for Tenten, so she said nothing as she crouched down beside Tenten and placed a comforting hand on the older woman's shoulder. Tenten didn't say anything as she cried but she leaned against her and together they remained in the rain as they sat with Neji and let the rain relentlessly pelt them both.

When Tenten finally went limp, Hinata helped her up to her feet then and together they slowly made their way through the pouring rain before she could fall in the freshly turned dirt and drown in a rain puddle. They made it back to the Hyūga compound and Hinata carefully maneuvered the weak Tenten into what had once been Neji's quarters, because that was probably where the woman wanted to be. Tenten collapsed onto Neji's futon and curled up on her side.

Hinata didn't fight the other as she went to her quarters and gathered some dry clothes for Tenten. She came back ten minutes later to see Tenten changed, and wrapped up in one of Neji's shirts as she lay on the futon. Quietly, Hinata placed the clean clothes on the dresser which Tenten had clearly pulled open and left her there to grieve; because Hyūgas never grieved in public.

Never.

Though Hinata was timid and quiet by nature, she was raised in a traditional family, and weaknesses were never to be expressed. Extreme emotions were to be contained, controlled, and channeled; they were never to break in public. Rather like the other old proud Clans of Konohagakure, she knew the Uchiha had been this way, and though the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka Clans were not as controlled as the Uchiha or Hyūga Clans, they too controlled what they expressed in public.

Quietly, she made her way back to her room and pulled her hair down as she walked to her shower. Stripping from the soaked garb she had worn for the family funerals she got into the shower. The tears fell then as she backed up to the wall of the steaming shower, her breath hitched and she cried quietly. Sinking to the floor of the shower she pulled her knees to her chest and hugged her legs tightly; tears still rolling down her face.

The heat of the shower poured over her, and the ugly emotions she had been working so hard to repress poured out of her as she sobbed gut wrenching cries in the water. Why did she have to lose Neji? Why had she had to lose anyone!? She didn't know, but as she curled in on herself, hugging her heavy breasts to her she cried. Her hair fell like a veil around her as she hid her sobs as best as she could, it just wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair, he had so much life ahead of him, so much life to live, and so much going for him.

She should be the one being buried. She had been ready to die to protect Naruto, she had been at peace with her rash decision. After all, Naruto's life was far more important than hers' was but Neji's life was also more important than her life. Neji had changed the Clan when she hadn't even been able to obtain her father's love.

"Hinata?" she heard a voice call. She didn't dare to look up, she couldn't hide the pain she was feeling as she heard the bathroom door open.

"Hinata! What are you doing!?" her father exclaimed. When she didn't look up, he shut the scalding hot water off, and wrapped her up in a towel as he helped her out of the shower. It was the first fatherly act she had received from him since he had disowned her and shoved her to Yūhi Kurenai's care and tutelage.

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"It's raining," Naruto noted while he sat in one of the private suites of the hospital on the top floor. He'd been put up here with Killer B, Sasuke, and a few other severely chakra depleted members of the fighting forces. Only Sasuke was completely isolated, and though both he and B had tried to get Sakura to put him in the ICU here with them, she hadn't budged on the matter. Sasuke was separated on request of the council and Kage until his fate was decided. The teme was also so severely wounded and apparently had a nasty blood infection from having his arm blown off and as a result, Sakura was keeping him separate in order to keep a closer eye on him.

"So it is," she said softly as she was gently cutting off the bandages on his right arm. He looked over at her, she looked exhausted but she wasn't looking at him as she gently peeled the bandages off of his stump.

"Are you alright Sakura?" Naruto demanded. He knew she was personally looking after Sasuke, at her own insistence, but he wasn't a child anymore and had learnt the hard way just how much pain Sakura could be in from loving Sasuke. He worried about her, after all, she was his family and like his sister.

"I'm just tired, Naruto," she smiled then as she looked up at him and then she started prodding his wound. He winced slightly but Kurama snapped at him to toughen up, which had him smiling a bit as Sakura's cool slight fingers traveled over the tender wound.

"You are healing up exceptionally well," she admitted as she examined the wound closely. "Thank Kurama for me, I'm guessing this is his chakra's doing."

"Smart girl, I like that one," Kurama rumbled which had Naruto grinning.

"He likes you," Naruto chuckled feeling the vibrations of Kurama's chakra in his stomach; it tickled.

"I like him too," she mused as she pulled away from his stump and then grabbed some antiseptic gunk, bandages, and tape which had him sighing as he performed the routine of lifting his stump up for her as she started lathering it up and finally, wrapping his arm up again.

"Alright, no itching it. I don't care what Kurama wants don't mess with the wound Naruto or I'll knock your ass to Suna with no mercy," she informed him which had Kurama laughing. Naruto started laughing too because Kurama was now actively pointing out the people he liked around them. It was nice to know the Fox was trying to see the world again. "I'll be back in a few hours. How are you feeling B?"

"Rested like a bear, receivin' the best care," he tried, causing Sakura to smile softly.

"Alright, you two rest, I'm down the hall if you need me," she said as she left them and walked out of the room.

Naruto just wanted to be alone with his thoughts as Killer B fell asleep then and he stared out at the raining, rebuilding village. He hadn't thought the war would have ripped apart the villages like it had. The war had taken place far away from the actual villages, however, the villages were still ripped apart, just in a different way. Grieving, burying the dead, informing the families, and taking care of the people and families left behind.

All the Kage had gone back to their villages for the time being. There were affairs to handle in the other villages.

However, the wounded had been dispersed between the Shinobi Allies, the more critical patients were transferred to Konoha for the best medical care while the other injuries had been dispersed without qualm for who belonged to which village, for their care. But it didn't mean much to Naruto as he stared out the window.

All he was thinking about was the teme who was a room down. He hadn't seen the teme since Sakura had come to their aid, she had been fast to separate them and upon arrival to the hospital he had been put in this room with Killer B, Tsunade, Kakashi, Gaara, and the Tsuchikage. But Gaara and the Tsuchikage had returned to their villages, Kakashi had been discharged yesterday to attend to matters of the village, and Tsunade was still comatose on the bed with Shizune diligently looking out for her master, and Killer B was here with extreme chakra depletion.

He was confined to his bed for the time being too with extreme blood loss, a blood infection which Kurama had expelled from his body, and the loss of his limb. His left hand moved to grab his right arm, but he found himself grabbing his side and clutching it as he looked at his lap.

He wondered how Hinata was doing, she had been close to breaking the last he had seen her at the hospital as she was given a scroll with the Hyūga family's losses in it. She hadn't said anything to him as she hurried off, and Sakura had yelled at him to stay in his bed which was why he was concerned. He remembered how devastated he had been losing Neji, but mostly, he remembered how broken Hinata had been at the loss as she then turned around and shoved him up to get back to fighting, to remember what was at stake and what Neji and the others had died for.

He had a lot to thank her for, mostly for saving him from despair, and he wanted to make certain she was alright. After all, she was quickly becoming one of his dearest friends; he just didn't know what to say to her. Naruto didn't know what to say to anyone after the war though.

* * *

 **JUST FORWARNING YOU, THERE ARE NO INSTANT COUPLES, QUICK STORY PLOTS IN ANY OF THE UNTIL THE DAY I... STORIES! THESE ARE SLOW PACE STORIES! AND THEY ARE LABELED DRAMA NOT ROMANCE!**

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 **This Is One Of Five Stories With Over Lapping Timelines & Events. The Others Until the Day I... Stories:**

 **-Until the Day I Act [Shikamaru & Temari]**

 **-Until the Day I Die [Sasuke & Sakura]**

 **-Until the Day I Happen [** **Chōji** ** & Karui]**

 **-Until the Day I Stumble [Sai & Ino]**

 **And There's Also My Extra Collection of Other Characters:**

 **-Until the Day I Continue**

 **If You Have a Particular Character You Wish to Read About, Make a Request There Please, UtDIC Is A Collection of Character Arches, Varying in Length Status.**

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 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	2. Part 1: Chapter 2

**2/11/2016: A Special Shout Out to My Amazing Beta, The Awesome Stickman6969!** **is patiently, and thoroughly editing Until the Day I Love. Thank You Again For Doing The Needed Edits! =)**

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 **I Do Not Own Naruto**

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 **Chapter 2**

A week had passed since the war had ended and he was still here in the hospital. However, he was looking better than Sakura was at the moment. He looked his friend over as she examined what remained of his arm, she swayed a bit and shook her head as she focused on his arm.

"Sakura? When did you last sleep?" Naruto asked when she finally pulled her glowing green palm away from his arm and sat down on the chair beside his bed.

"What day is it?" she asked as she rubbed her brow.

"Monday," Naruto answered and she seemed to think this over as she stood up.

"I'll tell you when I remember," she said as she left him. "Oh, I'll have a nurse come by with your discharge papers, Naruto. She'll help you fill them out. However, you are to be on light workloads, you are still recovering from chakra depletion and blood loss Naruto. I'm only letting you out of here if you assure me that you won't work too hard," she said firmly as she shot him one of her glares which had him quivering where he sat.

"Promise!" he squeaked.

"Good, I'll go get the…" machines when berserk and doctors ran by, Sakura stepped into the hall and he tilted his head in curiosity as Kurama roused himself with interest too.

"Haruno, it's the Uchiha!" a doctor shouted. Sakura was gone before she even finished her sentence leaving Naruto to wonder what was wrong with the teme as he got out of the bed and slowly made his way towards the hospital room.

"Get him prepped, we're taking him to surgery now," Sakura shouted, he saw his best friend being wheeled out of his room with Sakura jogging after him, leaving him fearful of what could happen to the teme. Sasuke was his best friend after all, his brother really and despite all the pain the Uchiha had inflicted up on him and Sakura, he knew they still loved him. It was hard not to love family though.

"Sakura!" he called out, her pink head turned, she flashed him a reassuring smile; but he could tell it was fake. Then she was gone, leaving him there trembling with fear.

"Uh… N-N-Naruto?" a timid voice called out to him. He turned around as he held his IV up and found himself staring into the pearl colored eyes of Hyūga Hinata's Byakugan.

"Oh, hey Hinata," he smiled; trying to hide his fear which had him trembling. Naruto had long since decided he could take loss, suck it up and lift his head up and remember a person with pride. Hinata had showed him it was important during the war, however… Naruto did not think he could survive losing another family member after having just gotten them back. But he was trusting Sakura, knowing she'd do everything she could to keep the teme alive.

"I-I-Is everything alright?" she asked softly as she stepped up to his side and looked to where Sakura had disappeared with the teme.

"Uh… I don't really know," he answered hesitantly. A slim hand touched his shyly causing him to look at Hinata as he fought back the trembles which threatened to have him breaking down. He had just gotten his best friend back, apology and everything! Sasuke had apologized to him; the proudest man on the fucking planet, Uchiha Sasuke, had apologized to him! Naruto didn't want to lose his best friend when he had finally come home from whatever darkness he had been engulfed in.

"It'll be alright; Sakura's the best doctor there is," Hinata said softly and she pulled her hand away quickly when he looked at it. He kind of wished she hadn't done that, Kurama had liked her touch, and strangely enough… so did he.

"Why are you here?" Naruto asked as he slowly started making his way with great reluctance to his room again.

"Oh… to see Kiba and Shino," she answered with a weak smile. He just blinked at her.

"I thought they went to Kumogakure." Naruto said, slightly puzzled.

"Yes, but… I forgot," she turned a brilliant shade of red then which had him smiling a bit. He liked that shade of red, it was sweet; unlike when Sakura turned red. When Sakura turned red shit was hitting the fan and her temper was raging; the pinkette being red was dangerous. However, he had always liked Hinata, though she was kind of weird, quiet, shy, and kind of gloomy; but he liked people like her; the underdogs who worked to defy the odds. She always seemed to perk him up.

"That's alright, you can come hang with me!" he decided and went to toss his arm around her only to find himself staring at a stump. Right…

She just smiled.

"That's alright, I… uh… I have things to do," she stammered out and he watched her retreat faster than he could protest. Reluctantly he watched her form disappear into the elevator.

"Stupid boy," Kurama grumbled.

"Hey! I'm not stupid!" Naruto defended as he walked into the hospital room where Killer B was sleeping; Gyūki hadn't stirred either, according to Kurama. They were older though and that could be affecting their recovery rate.

Naruto sat down on the bed and started focusing on collecting nature energy so he could figure out what was going on with Sasuke. Once he located the teme and Sakura he just waited them out and tried not to panic when he'd feel the teme's chakra flickering between life and death. He didn't like it. However Kurama repeatedly pointed out that this did not mean the teme was dead. The teme had sustained a serious set of injuries and he was fighting the same strange blood infection Kurama had expelled from their body earlier.

Naruto didn't like waiting like this, but five hours later the teme's chakra was stable and Sakura's was flickering but they were both again in the teme's room; sleeping from what he could tell.

"Um, Uzumaki?" he looked over to the nurse who had entered his room.

"Dr. Haruno said to give you this, and to help you fill it out," the young woman said.

"Thanks," he replied as she sat down next to him with the paper work. Damn teme for blowing off his right arm and hand!

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Hinata had come to the hospital just to see if Naruto was alright, she had also needed to speak to Sakura about the health of Naruto. She just needed to know he was alright, but it appeared Sakura had other things on her mind and had been running with the Uchiha down the hall. Naruto had just been standing there. However, she had been sneaking back into the hospital five hours later, she was looking for Sakura. Hinata just wanted to know how Naruto was doing at the moment.

She caught Sakura just as she came out of the room that Sasuke was in.

"Um…" Hinata started, but stopped when a nurse walked up to Sakura and handed her a clipboard which Sakura then read over.

"Alright, thanks," Sakura rubbed her brow. "I'll talk to him about living arrangements. His apartment hasn't been rebuilt yet. Thanks for helping him with this Ai."

"Certainly," the nurse beamed. "He's very handsome," Ai giggled. Hinata felt a painful twist in her heart and her gaze dropped to the floor as she listened.

"Ai, he's a patient and if you date him I will break you into such itty-bitty bits of rubble that they won't be able to identify your body. Is this understood?" Sakura snarled dangerously and Hinata smirked. It was a sisterly tone in Sakura's voice and it had her pleased to know Sakura was scaring the young nurse off of Naruto. However, it was such a petty emotion and Hinata felt ashamed of herself as she looked to the ground.

"Yes ma'am," the girl squeaked as she hurried away. As Hinata prepared to make herself know, she noticed that Sakura looked ready to collapse.

"Sakura?" Hinata piped up.

"Hm?" Sakura looked up. "Perfect! Hinata just a person I needed to see!"

"Huh?" Hinata blinked, Sakura beamed.

"Look, I can't take Naruto right now, Sasuke needs constant care, and I'm needed here. Naruto's apartment building hasn't been rebuilt since Pain's Attack, would your family mind taking him in for a bit? At least while he's learning to live as a lefty and with one hand."

"Uh…" Hinata just stared at the pinkette who was smiling broadly with purple bruises under her eyes.

"Please!" Sakura pleaded.

"I don't think my father would mind. I'll take Naruto home with me and bring it up," Hinata mumbled.

"Thank Kami!" Sakura suddenly hugged her tightly which startled her but she hesitantly returned the hug.

"Sakura!?"

"Crap!" the pinkette hissed.

"Hey Sakura, I'm here to see the Uchiha," she heard Kakashi's lazy voice and spun around to him.

"Great timing! I'm going to grab twenty!" Sakura declared as she darted to the elevator.

"I'm looking for Yamanaka Ino," called out a scarred man; whose name was escaping her at the moment.

"I'm heading that way, let's go!" Sakura's pink head poked out of the elevator and the large man then followed after her. Hinata just stood there dumbfounded when Naruto appeared.

"Sakura!? Kakashi did you see her?" Naruto asked.

"Uh…no," Kakashi lied.

"Hey again Hinata," Naruto grinned.

"N-N-Naruto," she stammered as her pulse leapt through the roof and she felt her face heating up as he looked at her.

"Kakashi, I don't have a place to go to," Naruto suddenly turned his attention onto Kakashi, however, Hinata was relieved for that.

"Um, Sakura asked you to come live with my family for the time," Hinata mumbled shyly.

"Huh? Really?" Naruto turned on her with wide eyes.

"Y-yes," Hinata admitted.

"That's awesome!" Naruto declared.

"L-let me go talk to my father, and I'll come back for you in an hour," she decided softly and he smiled.

"Kay!" he exclaimed with delight as she quickly hurried off before her heart leapt out of her chest. She was pressed up against the elevator wall trying to catch her breath from just having him look at her. He always managed to have her losing her breath, and make her heart slam mercilessly against her ribs (there were times that she felt her heart could break her ribs with how it was racing). Staring at the ceiling she tried to calm her heart as she held herself up.

The Hyūga compound was getting a little crowded. Tenten was an unspoken resident of the Hyūga compound right now. She was residing in Neji's quarters and no one dared to tell her to leave. Not that they would if they could, the woman was like a ghost who haunted the room where Neji had once lived. Hinata was comforted slightly knowing Tenten was here rather than floating around the rebuilding village somewhere. It just felt better to know she was at the Hyūga compound.

There was also an irregularity which she had seen with her Byakugan in Tenten's chakra which was also another reason she had wanted to speak to Sakura, however, it was clear the medic was exhausted.

"Lady Hinata!" Kō greeted her.

"Hello Kō," she said softly looking up at the man who had been her appointed guard since the time she had been a child. She asked him where she could find her father and was told he was in the main house, in his private quarters.

"Father," she rapped the door lightly.

"Come in," Hiashi ordered.

"Father, I was asked to give shelter to Uzumaki Naruto while he recovers," Hinata said as she went to the floor on her knees to speak to her father, who was writing on his desk.

"Hm?" he looked at her then.

"He does not have an apartment to return to yet," Hinata said quickly. She was nervous about her father's reply. He was the head of the clan and this was his decision, he was tolerating Tenten but she didn't know if he'd take in a jinchūriki.

"Alright… He is both the village and shinobi hero after all," Hiashi said. Her eyes widened and she smiled shyly then.

"Thank you, I will go retrieve him," she said softly as she quickly hurried off to go get Naruto and bring him to her home.

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 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	3. Part 1: Chapter 3

**2/11/2016: A Special Shout Out to My Amazing Beta, The Awesome Stickman6969!** **is patiently, and thoroughly editing Until the Day I Love. Thank You Again For Doing The Needed Edits! =)**

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 **I Do Not Own Naruto**

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 **Chapter 3**

Naruto wondered why he couldn't live with Sakura, but when he had found her again and asked she snapped at him that he'd live at the Hyūga compound because her surviving apartment was going to be left untouched until she was ready to go home and she wouldn't have him turn it into a hazmat zone with the mess that followed him around. Naruto didn't know if he should've laughed or snapped back that he wasn't that messy. However he knew there'd be no winning against Sakura, especially since she had been furious about something she had received from a nurse. She wouldn't tell him what she was looking at but he could see that she was being completely serious as she stalked back into the room where Sasuke was still unconscious.

Which was why he was now walking with Hinata, through the rebuilding Konoha, feeling a little lopsided with a small bag of his few things slung over his left shoulder.

"When are Shino and Kiba coming back?" he asked her trying to break the awkward silence. Naruto didn't like silences, they felt… ominous to him. They also felt lonely in his mind, he hated it and he despised it when everyone thought he should be comfortable with the silences. They were one of the few things which made him antsy.

"Oh… uh, I don't- I don't know," she stammered out. Once more the weird girl was turning red as she looked away from him. Naruto wondered why Hinata was always like this, it didn't make any sense to him; again, Kurama snapped something about him being stupid which had him threatening to lock the fox up again.

"Did you hear about the Kage Meeting?" Naruto asked her.

"Oh… yes," she replied softly as they walked together.

"Do you happen to know what it's about?"

"No, my father said the Raikage demanded it, the Kage should be arriving here within the week. He said Nara Shikamaru was sent to discuss peace with the Kazekage and that they should be coming home soon," she answered quickly as she turned the corner; Naruto increased his paces to keep up with her.

It felt really, really, really weird not having his right arm, like he was going to fall over weird. Naruto didn't quite understand this unbalance he was experiencing but Sakura had said if he felt something like 'phantom pains' he needed to talk to her; whatever those were…

"Shikamaru was discharged!?" Naruto gaped at her then.

"Uh… yes? A few days after he arrived," Hinata stammered and he just glared at the sky. So while he had been hospitalized this past week and a half, Shikamaru had been busy helping the villages. Naruto felt like he was insufficient, he'd go talk to Kakashi about this because Naruto wanted to help rebuild the world too. After all, it was a promise he had made Master Jiraiya, and he couldn't let Nagato down either. He was a ninja of his word, that was his ninja way!

He was going to save this world at any cost!

When they arrived at the Hyūga compound she showed Naruto to his quarters, he was quick to make himself at home while a servant informed her that her father had summoned the elders of the clan along with the entire clan's forces. She didn't question this as she quickly said her goodbyes to Naruto and hurried off to attend to the Clan's business. She knew right away that it must be serious; she could count on one hand the number of these meetings which summoned the entire clan together:

One: to seek retribution for her attempted kidnapping by Kumogakure when she had been a child.

Two: when she had been disowned as the Main House's Heir and cast aside to the teachings of Yūhi Kurenai.

And three: what was now known as Neji's Revelation; which had changed the way the Main House and Branch Houses interacted.

To have the entire clan present for a Clan Meeting was rare; the meetings of the elders and heads of the Main and Branch Houses were well known, but an Entire Clan Meeting… it must be serious, she thought. She didn't know what news her father had to announce but it had to be serious if this was being called. She saw Tenten sleeping in Neji's room when she passed by, and again she saw a strange chakra signature as she used her Byakugan to check on the older woman.

"Lady Hinata, come along," she looked over to Kō then.

"I'm coming!" she called and she was quick to hurry after the older man.

Perhaps this was the announcement of the alliance between the Hyūga Clan and the Taketori family. After all, before the war and Pain's assault on the village it had been a very important Clan issue for the Main House to attend to. It was always important for their clan to maintain relationships with their allies before, during and especially after a war. She discreetly made her way into the meeting room, after all, she was the disgraced and disowned heiress, so she sat quietly in the back so no one would really look at her. Hinata waited for her father to appear, Hanabi was sitting in the heiress's seat as her father walked in and took his seat at the head of the clan.

"We are here to announce the reinstatement of Hyūga Hinata as the Main House's First Heir." Her father announced and Hinata froze as all of the clan's eyes were turned on her. Hinata didn't know how to feel about this as she sat there trying to think of what this meant and why this was happening to her. She didn't know what she had done to change her father's mind and have him reinstate her as his heir, but she was shocked as she sat there staring at the grumpy elders and her stern father. "She has proven herself to be a worthy heir of the Main House after how she handled herself during the Pain Assault and for her heroics in the war. Even the elders have agreed to reinstate her."

* * *

Naruto heard retching, which had him leaving his room in order to find the source. The sound was coming from a short distance away, in a room that had its door slightly cracked open. He quietly walked in; the retching was definitely from this room and so he decided look around.

"Hello?" he called out. There was a flush which had him walking to the bathroom. When he got there Tenten was hunched over the toilet, her head was slumped and her hair was a mess as it hung all around her, out of its usual buns.

"Tenten! Are you alright? Do you need a medic? Come on I'll take you to Sakura," he hurried over to her and crouched beside her. She looked at him with weary eyes that were red and puffy, obviously a result of her crying recently (even he was not that oblivious).

"No, I'm fine Naruto," she said weakly, and he noticed that there was no spunk in her voice like there normally was. She slowly got up and moved around and away from him as she headed towards the bed and just collapsed onto it as if there were no bones in her legs anymore. He just stood there staring dumbly at her as he tried to figure out what had happened to her. Finally, Naruto decided to exit the room and leave her alone, she clearly didn't want the company and he wasn't going to force it on her. He then walked out of the Hyūga compound to hunt for Kakashi and have some work given to him. He was not going to sit around and let the world rebuild itself alone!

Unsurprisingly he found Kakashi at the Hokage's temporary office, a hut set up before the war and after the Pain attack.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei," Naruto greeted as he walked in with a huge smile on his face.

"That is Hokage boy!" his eyes snapped onto the elder who had spoken, an older man with glasses who was glaring at him.

"What is it Naruto?" Kakashi asked, interrupting the elders with his lazy tone.

"I was wondering if there's anything I can do, you know, to help?" Naruto asked as he ignored the elders. He had never liked them anyway, they always treated him like he was some sort of child and he hated that. He was no longer a child!

"Well, you can attend your training again and learn to be a left handed, one armed shinobi; like Sakura wanted you to do. Or you can run errands for me," Kakashi said dully.

"I'll choose the second option; I want to help however I can!" Naruto beamed, he didn't particularly want to start his training right now; he wanted to get used to having no arm where his right arm had once been first. Sakura could yell at him and kick his ass later… and then she'd help him out; like always. He liked that plan a lot.

"Alright, run these documents over to the Nara residence, then to the Akimichi compound," Kakashi said and held out a stack of papers which Naruto took and before darting.

Hinata came to Neji's room out of habit; whenever she had news she had always sought out Neji. Quietly she walked into the room and saw Tenten lying on the bed staring at a photo of her, Lee, Guy and Neji; the photo of Team Guy.

"You haven't eaten," Hinata said softly as she picked up the still full tray of food that had been left earlier this evening for Tenten.

"I ate a few bites," Tenten defended. Hinata frowned and without thinking about it she let her Byakugan pulse to life, the veins straining on her face as she looked Tenten and her chakra over. Now, before one got the wrong impression about the Hyūga Clan one had to realize that having the Byakugan made privacy obsolete in many ways. Hinata had known since she was a young child what sex was and how it worked, as well as the results of having sex. She knew the way chakra flowed through a pregnant body and looking at Tenten right now she knew she was looking at a pregnant woman, and from examining the chakra mixture Hinata knew that it was Neji's. Tenten and Neji's chakra was still merging together, which would make her about four weeks pregnant; that would put her conception just before the war. It was hard to believe that about three and a half weeks ago the world had been getting ready for war.

The war itself hadn't lasted long, the Shinobi Allied Forces had broken their enemy within a matter of days, but the after math was huge.

"Tenten, were you and Neji in a… relationship?" Hinata asked as she picked up the tray and walked to sit beside the older woman.

"Yes," Tenten choked out. Hinata touched Tenten's shoulder then, the older girl looked at her with wet eyes. "Why? Do the Hyūga Clan not approve of mistresses now?" she asked bitterly.

"No, but I think Neji would like for you to be strong during this pregnancy," Hinata said softly. Tenten's eyes went wide and her hand landed on her stomach as she continued to stare at Hinata with her eyes still large and filled with disbelief.

"What?" she whispered.

"You're early, three or four weeks based on the chakra merging, but we'll visit Sakura and confirm," Hinata offered softly as Tenten slowly sat up and Hinata placed the tray before her. Tenten tentatively ate her meal; she ate every bite even though it was clear she didn't want to eat. Hinata just sat with her until she finished her meal; and when she was done, Tenten curled up once more on Neji's bed.

Hinata said nothing as she gathered up the plates and let Tenten be for the time being. She was still reeling in shock from the news that she was reinstated as heir to the clan; it was startling. Sadly, however, Neji wasn't here to talk to about it. Hinata's eyes welled up again as she made it to the kitchen and she did the dishes quietly. At least there was hope that her cousin wasn't completely gone.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	4. Part 1: Chapter 4

**2/11/2016: A Special Shout Out to My Amazing Beta, the Awesome Stickman6969!** **is patiently, and thoroughly editing Until the Day I Love. Thank You Again For Doing The Needed Edits! =)**

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 **.**

* * *

 **I Do Not Own Naruto**

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 **.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

Kakashi had sent him to the front gates to greet Shikamaru and the Suna Shinobi arriving today, to which Naruto was eagerly hurrying off to do. He wanted to ask Shikamaru about how the world was doing, since he had been the first diplomatic shinobi to return; others had been sent out across the world but none had returned as of yet. Though to be fair, it's only been two weeks since the war ended, which would probably mean the world was still being patched up and trying to just get over the war. Kurama continuously pointed this out to him, but it wasn't helping him and his curiosity as he made it to the entrance of Konoha in time to see three figures appear on the old road into the village.

"Hey Shikamaru!" Naruto called out as he waved his right arm up then scowled noticing his flapping sleeve so he waved his left instead. Shikamaru looked up with a scowl on his face, and Naruto noticed Gaara and his sister, whose name was escaping him right now, following Shikamaru.

"Naruto? What are you doing up?" Shikamaru demanded in a stern tone, Naruto rolled his eyes.

"I was discharged," he replied.

"By who?" Shikamaru snapped at him as they started walking through the village.

"Sakura," he stated obviously. If she hadn't signed off on his discharge, then he'd still be in the hospital! "The hospital was overflowing, also she broke two would-be assassins," Naruto shuddered. Two shinobi in full body casts; it just looked painful and her temper had been atrocious after dealing with them, so he wanted to escape the hospital before she came at him with her temper. Kurama had only found her temper mildly nerve-wracking; apparently, Sakura and his mother had something in common.

Their tempers both slightly scared Kurama which was a feat in and of itself, according to, Gyūki's teasing.

"Sakura?" Gaara's soft voice had him looking to his Kazekage friend.

"Yeah, she's been busy with Ino planning Sai's surgery, the Kage returning, and the assassination attempts on Sasuke. It's been a bit crazy," Naruto stated as they walked through the rebuilding village. Honestly, he was amazed she hadn't run out of chakra yet with how busy she's been. He knew her reserves were said to be larger than Tsunade's but he hadn't ever really paid attention to her chakra storage; until now.

"Ino's awake!?" Shikamaru sounded startled which had Naruto looking to the lazy genius of Konoha.

"Yeah, been awake for two weeks," he said remembering Sai's complaints about how Ino was never quiet; but that had been a few days ago, before his discharge.

"And she's been driving Sai nuts!" he sniggered. He liked it when someone managed to actually bother Sai. It was amusing to him because the former Root member didn't always know how to express himself and Naruto like confusing him; it was funny when the girls (Ino and/or Sakura) slapped him because of the misadvise Naruto would give him. Sai was just too gullible! It was quite entertaining; though Naruto tried not to do it as often, now that Sakura had caught onto the fact he was the one giving bad advice to Sai; and taken him for a spar which had left him in a heap of pain and bruises.

"Naruto?" asked Shikamaru breaking him out of his thoughts. "How's Chōji?"

"Awake," he guessed. "At least, that's what Sai said yesterday." The previous day he'd received an ink blob (an attempt at a mouse or something he assumed) which had splattered into sloppy scrawl announcing Chōji was awake; as far as he could decipher before the ink faded away.

"Thanks Naruto… and you should go rest," Shikamaru scolded him. Naruto rolled his eyes, he'd been named the assistant of the Hokage at the moment, he didn't get to rest; thank Kami else he'd go insane. With that in mind he decided he would go back to Kakashi for another job. Running errands was at least doing something, which definitely beat doing nothing. Especially with the Kage meeting coming to Konohagakure and the preparations needed for that!

"Well, I can't! Kakashi's been named the Sixth Hokage while Granny Tsunade's in a chakra coma," well, he wasn't too certain about that; it had been a week since he'd last seen Tsunade. "And I was sent here by him to tell you that the Nara and Akimichi residences are to be used as the Kage Embassies," whatever that meant. "Because all of the inns are filled with the injured and their families."

"Alright," Shikamaru huffed out. "Now seriously Naruto, before you fall on your face, go rest! If you don't Sakura will have your head on a platter!" the Nara man pointed out in a sharp tone which had him blinking as they parted again.

He caught a sight of himself in the window of a rebuilding shop and yawned.

He looked like hell had come and hit him over the head; his spike blonde hair was sticking up at odd spikes, his eyes had heavy bruises beneath them, his face was unusually pale for him, and his body looked haggard. Perhaps he should go nap? After all, it would help him out and Kurama wasn't going to always aid him in healing and getting well again and again. Kurama may like him but they weren't best friends… yet.

Naruto felt he was making progress with the fox though. It wasn't instantaneous but they were on good terms since the war. Now to just keep digging away at the fox; because, like Sasuke, he knew that he and Kurama would be friends.

Thinking this brought a smile of satisfaction to his face as he walked towards the Hyūga compound. As he was walking he started wondering just when he'd have his old apartment back. He missed his own bed; not that the Hyūga compound wasn't a wonderful place to be but it was just too big and quiet for his liking. Walking back into the Hyūga compound he went straight to his quarters and let out a sigh as he fell face first onto his futon and drifted into a deep sleep he hadn't thought he needed.

* * *

Hinata walked with Tenten into the hospital, Hinata let Tenten hold her hand because the weapons' master seemed terrified as they walked to the front desk.

"Dr. Haruno, please," Tenten said nervously.

"Top floor northwest corner, room three," the nurse said and Hinata pulled Tenten with her towards the elevator before Tenten chickened out and tried to escape; they had started this trip to the hospital at least once a day for three days. This was the farthest they had made it, and now that they were here Hinata was taking the lead and dragging Tenten with her to talk to Sakura at least. They had made it this far, Hinata was not having Tenten walk away before she spoke with Sakura.

They walked into the elevator together and Tenten was shaking. Hinata said nothing as she propped Neji's love upright on her feet, though she had to admit to herself that Tenten looked like a wreck.

Her normally pulled up hair was down and pulled back in a single loose tail; she was wearing Neji's shirt, clean pants, and the red puffy eyes she had showed her exhaustion and most recent bout of crying. It was amazing Tenten was even up; she looked unrecognizable with how much of a wreck she appeared. But Hinata didn't point this out as they stood there silently in the elevator.

"What if I am pregnant?" Tenten whispered.

"Then we will discuss it with the head of the family," she replied firmly. It was the first time in Hinata's life where she had taken charge of a person;it was strange having to be the one to push back against Tenten's battered, uncertain will when all Hinata wanted was to lend Tenten a shoulder to cry on. Hinata was not like Sakura; Naruto had once described her as a 'boot up the ass' before laughing it off. Hinata just knew that she, herself, wasn't like that, she didn't like pushing people, because people who were pushed too much tended to lash back at her and she really hated it. But she had come to realize that perhaps she needed to push Tenten to at least take the first steps and do this confirmation on her pregnancy.

The elevator dinged open and Hinata pulled Tenten's trembling form out of the elevator and walked towards the northwest corner with her Byakugan pulsing. She could see Sakura and Sasuke together in the same room, both were sleeping. Hinata walked up to the room and knocked on the door, causing Sakura to jolt up.

"What?" Sakura asked as she slid opened the door and looked up at Hinata. Though Hinata was not particularly tall she was a tad bit taller than Sakura. But then again just about everyone was taller than Sakura, as she had come to notice.

"Hello Sakura, I think Tenten's pregnant," Hinata said and pulled Tenten's hand so Tenten came up to her side.

"I was hoping you could perform the tests to confirm this," Tenten sniffled.

"Certainly, uh…" Sakura looked around. "Hinata, could you just watch over him? Knock out anyone who isn't me, Naruto, or Kakashi who tries to come near him, please. I'll take care of Tenten."

"Uh… sure," she blinked as Sakura then dragged her into the room, walked out and shut the door firmly. Hinata stiffened a bit as she crept over to the Uchiha's bed. She hadn't seen him since the war, and she was startled looking at him now. He was so pale, there were dark bruises and scratches marring his face as well as the rest of his body from what she could see. His right hand was restrained by padded cuffs. He looked like hell, honestly; it was shocking to her just how bad he was looking; many of the worst casualties she had previously seen looked much better than this.

The door rattled which had her Byakugan pulsing as she fell into a fighting stance ready for anything that came at her. However, she relaxed when it was Sakura who walked in.

"I'll radio you with the results at the Hyūga compound, Tenten," Sakura said before turning to her. "Thank you Hinata for watching him," she said as she walked over to her. Hinata looked back down at the Uchiha.

"Why is he so…?" Hinata asked softly.

"Naruto and Sasuke had a blood poisoning infection. Kurama took care of Naruto's but Sasuke's… he'll be alright," Sakura muttered the last bit more to herself than anyone else.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Hinata mumbled. She remembered how terrified she'd been when she had thought Naruto was going to die at Pain's hands, she understood the kind of pain Sakura was clearly experiencing.

"It's alright, go to Tenten, she's going to the elevator, I'll radio the Hyūga compound with the results," Sakura said as she gently brushed Sasuke's bangs out of his face.

"I'm so sorry Sakura," Hinata whispered as she hurried away. A part of her had always envied Sakura, because Sakura had Naruto's attention and his affections. She had tried not to dislike Sakura, but there had been times when Hinata had hated her. But then she would see how much like a sister Sakura was to Naruto and she wouldn't feel so hopeless about her one-sided love towards him.

"I don't need sorrys, I'm not the one hurting, Hinata. Just look out for Naruto now, please," she said and Hinata left her alone with the Uchiha. She found Tenten in the hallway waiting for the elevator and Hinata walked up to stand beside her.

"Sakura will have the results soon," Tenten mumbled against her fingers.

"I know," Hinata admitted.

"And if I am…? What then?" Tenten whispered desperately.

"We'll take this one moment at a time," Hinata assured Tenten as the elevator doors dinged and slid open. Tenten just blinked desperately as tears started slipping down her cheeks once again.

"I miss him, Hinata, I miss him so damn much," Tenten whispered. Hinata hesitantly wrapped an arm around Tenten as they walked into the elevator. Neither of them said a word but Tenten continued to quietly cry against her as she propped the slender woman up.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	5. Part 1: Chapter 5

**2/11/2016: A Special Shout Out to My Amazing Beta! The Awesome Stickman6969!** **is patiently, and thoroughly editing Until the Day I Love. Thank You Again For Doing The Needed Edits! =)**

* * *

 **JUST FORWARNING YOU, THERE ARE NO INSTANT COUPLES, QUICK STORY PLOTS IN ANY OF THE UNTIL THE DAY I... STORIES! THESE ARE SLOW PACE STORIES! AND THEY ARE LABELED DRAMA NOT ROMANCE!**

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 **.**

* * *

 **I Do Not Own Naruto**

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 **.**

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 **Chapter 5**

Naruto went to the hospital today, he was skipping with good news for the teme. See, for the last few days Naruto had been begging and pleading with the Kage and council to let Sasuke off the hook for his crimes, but it appeared nothing he said worked. Then yesterday Sakura had gone before the council, she had somehow managed to get teme released into her custody. He didn't know what Sakura had said to win over the Kage yesterday but she had done it. Her and Kakashi! Because the Sixth had vouched for whatever Sakura had said before the Kage which was why he was all but bouncing with joy as he walked with Kakashi and Gaara to the hospital to tell Sakura and the teme the good news about the teme's sentence.

"Naruto, will you stop bouncing," Kakashi ordered in a sharp tone.

"I can't! I'm excited!" he said gleefully as he made his way to the elevator doors in the hospital.

"He may not be excited to see you so tone it down," Kakashi ordered which had Naruto stopping his bouncing to stare at Kakashi.

"Why wouldn't the teme be happy to see us?" Naruto demanded, he knew the teme was not happy about being back. He had heard one of the nurses yesterday say he had shouted, swore, and threatened Tsunade; who had apparently been awake and working for a week and no one had told him, he was slightly offended at always being left out of the loop in important matters.

"Naruto, I am telling you to tone it down," Kakashi said in his 'don't-question-me' tone. Naruto huffed as he crossed his arms and waited in the elevator for them to arrive at the top floor and go to visit teme and Sakura.

Once they were at room three Kakashi rapped on the door. Naruto yanked the door open, Sakura bolted upright from her bed as the teme fought his restraints then and glared a death glare at him. But Naruto was undeterred by the teme's antisocial, snarling personality.

"Hey teme!" he shouted.

"Hello Sasuke," Kakashi said behind him, Sakura groaned as she stretched and stood up.

"Go Away!" Sasuke snapped, Naruto scowled at the teme then who then turned his glare on Sakura.

"What kind of greeting is that teme!?" he spat out, Kurama grumbled something about him being stupid, the teme was in pain but Naruto didn't care. He didn't see his best friend for years, and then when they did finally meet up the teme ignored him as they fought together, then they fought each other only to blow each other's arms off, apologized and then been whisked away to this hospital and he hadn't seen the teme since! Well, he had visited but Sasuke had been unconscious until a few days ago and Naruto had been fighting for Sasuke to live against the Kage council.

"Enough!" Sakura's voice sliced through his anger at the teme's callus attitude.

"We came to deliver the verdict of the Uchiha's sentence," Gaara informed them. Sasuke scowled but she touched the teme's shoulder and Naruto saw the slight way he relaxed at her touch and frowned. The teme was going to hurt her again, Naruto would kill him if that was the case. Sasuke might be his best friend, but Sakura… Sakura was like his sister.

Uchiha Sasuke," Kakashi addressed. "You are a charge of Haruno Sakura's for the next year while you will prove to the Five Nations and this village, that you have indeed changed. If you should betray us, you will be hunted down and executed. Until such a time you have proven your loyalty as a Konoha Shinobi to Konohagakure again you will be traveling to aid the other villages affected by the Fourth Great Shinobi War. You are reinstated as Konoha Shinobi of the jonin class, you will report directly to me for missions and the other Kage will expect regular reports on your progress, also, the other Kage have told us that the only way they will let you go on this journey after you are healed is if you are followed by their ANBU black op teams at random times to make certain you are still following the right path.

"Is this understood?"

"Aa," the teme nodded.

"Good, Sakura, a word," Kakashi motioned and he watched Sakura as she left the teme and stopped beside him with her arms folded.

"Fair warning Naruto, rile him up and I will knock your ass to Suna and back, is this understood?" she asked sharply which had him trembling a bit in fear; he knew she could and would do it, even as chakra depleted as she appeared to be, she could do it. She left him then and he grinned when the door rattled shut.

"Hey teme!" he grinned. Sasuke was examining his restraints then as if he could escape.

"Go away loser," Sasuke ordered.

"Uh-uh, we're best friends!" Naruto reminded the teme and hugged him then.

"GET THE HELL OFF ME DOBE!" Sasuke roared as his kicked him in the ribs and Naruto slammed into the wall, the Uchiha was fuming.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR TEME! WE'RE FRIENDS AGAIN!" Naruto shouted as he rubbed his right ribs, stupid lack of an arm made it impossible to block his right from an attack. The teme was fuming and all but spitting fire.

"NARUTO!" Sakura roared as she threw the door open to glare at him.

"Y-y-yes, Sakura…" he stammered out as her exhausted green eyes narrowed on him.

"Behave," she ordered. "Or I'll be knocking your ass back to Suna," she reminded him and then slammed the door shut on them.

"Still not her favorite," the teme rubbed in and Naruto punched his arm only for the teme to snarl at him like Kurama did when the fox was woken up from his naps.

"I am too her favorite teme! She saved me first!" he retotrted.

"Are you sure about this?" Tenten asked as they walked to the hospital again.

* * *

"Yes, also, Lee will be very happy to see you," Hinata admitted as they returned to get Tenten's test results, and to see how Lee would be doing. Sakura had said he'd need physical therapy, along with Might Guy; though it was more probably Guy would never walk again.

"Yeah but…" Tenten's hand rested on her stomach where they had confirmed the pregnancy. Sakura had said the test results were free to be picked up but that Tenten was indeed pregnant, and Hinata felt that if they were going to collect the test results they should say hello to Lee and Guy, because if Shino and Kiba didn't happen to be in Kumo for their recovery at this moment she'd want to visit her teammates.

However, Shino and Kiba had had minor injuries and when Sakura had been dividing up the injured and where they went she sent superficial wounds and slight chakra depletion to Kumogakure. Important families of certain villages went to their prospective villages (like the Hyūga, Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi and Sarutobi Clans had returned to Konoha regardless of injuries). Life and death injuries were sent to Konoha; where Sakura had been in charge of watching over them, Sunagakure had received the poisoned, Iwagakure had received those with tore muscles and shattered bones for the most part, Kirigakure had had those of the most extreme cuts and gashes, while Kumo had received all with minor injuries and superficial wounds. Sakura had done this so the village healers would be in their most comfortable healing elements for the most part and so the injured would have a chance at being saved.

"They loved Neji too," Hinata said softly.

"But do you think… they'll feel a little betrayed?" Tenten mumbled as she looked at her stomach.

"No, they will be happy that there's still a bit of Neji in this world," Hinata decided. Her cousin had never really said it out loud, but he and Lee had been best friends, and Guy had been like an uncle to Neji. While obviously Tenten had meant a lot to Neji in many ways since she had the last bit of Neji there was in this world.

"Neji never wanted to tell them about us, they're exuberant," Tenten said with a ghost of a smile.

"They are different," she admitted as they walked together towards the physical therapy part of the hospital. Sakura wasn't around but Hinata didn't expect to see her today, the Uchiha had woken up a few days ago and she was busy with him now that he was awake. Also, she knew Naruto was at the council arguing to keep his friend alive, he hadn't really been at the Hyūga compound despite Sakura's wishes. But Hinata wasn't going to reign him in when he didn't even know she existed, sadly.

Ever since she had first seen the crying blonde boy, who despite being hurt and alone had had a warm smile and a goofy laugh, she had loved him. Hinata had been ashamed of how easily she had fallen for him, and worse was she got so painfully shy where he was concerned just trying to talk to him was difficult. It was painful to love a man who didn't even know you existed or just thought of her as weird, gloomy, and shy.

However, a single statement from her childhood from him had her heart always fluttering and her face heating up: 'but I kind of like people like you.'

It was the one which always had her heart fluttering, the butterflies in her stomach dancing around, and her face heating up in her happiness at hearing that.

"Hinata, thank you for coming with me," Tenten said softly.

"Of course," Hinata smiled. "What else are friends for?" Hinata said softly.

"TENTEN!" Lee shouted when they walked into the room. Lee hobbled over to her and Guy rolled over to them.

"Hi again," Tenten smiled to them as they greeted the green guys.

"How have you been?" Lee demanded.

"Uh…" Tenten blinked at the question and Hinata saw her uncertainty then. "I'm pregnant," she blurted out.

"What!? How is that possible! You do not look fat!" Lee blurted out. Hinata rubbed her face in exasperation and Tenten hit Lee. "Ow! What was that for!?"

"You're an idiot Lee!" Tenten shouted.

"It's Neji's isn't it?" Guy said thoughtfully. Tenten looked down and nodded, she grabbed Hinata's hand then. Hinata squeezed it reassuringly then as she stood with Tenten. She completely understood Tenten's worries about telling them about her pregnancy, however she would stand with Tenten.

"Yes," Tenten breathed.

"Guy-sensei, how is what Neji's?" Lee asked in confusion.

"Did he know?" Guy asked.

"No," Tenten shook her head, Hinata hugged the woman reassuringly then so her friend didn't collapse in another fit of tears as she stood there trembling.

"He would be happy," Guy said.

"I keep telling her that, but she hasn't believed me," Hinata said softly.

"Neji would be happy about what? I am really confused!" Lee said which had Hinata hearing Tenten sighing in exasperation.

"Lee, Neji and I had sex, I am having his baby in about seven months!" Tenten stated sharply.

"You are?"

"Yes," she nodded firmly.

"That is fantastic! But why would you have sex with Neji?" Lee asked. Another groaned of exasperation from Tenten had Hinata laughing softly.

"I loved him," Tenten finally stated firmly. "I loved him, we had sex, I am having a baby; is any of this unclear Lee?"

"No," he said and shook his head then as he stood on his crutches.

"He would be happy to hear this," Guy said with a smile.

"Thank you Guy," she mumbled.

"Is there anything you need from us?" Lee asked.

"The Hyūga Clan are the next ones we are in forming, we'll help take care of Tenten, just heal up for her," Hinata said softly.

"Oh," both men said.

"Thank you though," Tenten smiled weakly. "It means a lot that you two are here for me."

"Of course Tenten, what else are teammates for?" Guy asked. Tenten burst into tears then as she darted over and hugged the men then.

* * *

 **JUST FORWARNING YOU, THERE ARE NO INSTANT COUPLES, QUICK STORY PLOTS IN ANY OF THE UNTIL THE DAY I... STORIES! THESE ARE SLOW PACE STORIES! AND THEY ARE LABELED DRAMA NOT ROMANCE!**

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	6. Part 1: Chapter 6

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 6**

Naruto found himself sitting on the porch of the Hyūga house staring out at the rain as his right sleeve flapped emptily in the light breeze and he hurt. That's all he knew, he hurt. And he hurt like hell. The worst part of it was this wasn't even his body hurting, no, it was his heart that was acing dangerously as he sat there with his feet dangling off the side and the rain sang as it fell. He didn't like this hurting, he hated it really, because it was the same one he felt when the teme had left, or when Sakura had left, or when Jiraiya had passed, or losing his friends in the heat of a war which had been brought upon them by two Uchiha who held grudges with life and living life.

"N-N-Naruto!" a voice stammered out which had him looking over his shoulder at the blushing Hinata. She timidly stood there and he just sat there staring at her as the rain fell on the porch.

"Hey Hinata, haven't seen you for a while," he said and she timidly approached him.

"I've been busy with Tenten," she mumbled.

"Want to join me?" he asked her.

She nodded slightly as she shyly made her way over to him and sat beside him but far enough away that it was respectable he guessed and he stared out at the rain with her again.

"W-What have you been doing?" she stammered out.

"Running errands for the Kage, trying to talk to Sasuke again," he admitted and he fell back on the porch wood then and groaned. "He won't talk to me, he didn't even want to see me, it was like he was back to his hatred again. _**STUPID TEME! WHY CAN'T HE JUST CHANGE ALREADY!? Damn!**_ '

"Sasuke might be in a lot of pain, Naruto," she said softly and he sat up to stare at her then. "He was always hurting, so he might still be hurting. And people do not change over night."

"Neji did," he argued thinking of the arrogant Hyūga.

"No, Neji did not," Hinata said gently. "He slowly changed, over time, but it was not instantly. He had to reevaluate his life and how he valued things and what was of importance to him. It was not easy for him to change, but he did it, slowly but surely he changed himself. I image Sasuke will have a lot to reevaluate and think about if he is to change."

"I guess, but the stupid teme already apologized. Why can't he just hurry up and change!?" Naruto argued in his disgruntaled state. He just wanted his best friend back. Was that too much to ask for!? He wanted the teme back to being… well, the teme. He was sick and tired of the teme who was always trying to kill him and Sakura. He was tired of the teme who would compete with him or argue with him or call him a loser, dobe or ass, but mostly, he was tired of feeling like he'd lost a man he considered to be his brother.

Naruto just wanted his family to be back to normal.

Change was never something he really handled well, he didn't liked bad change, good change was one thing, but things like loss and pain…

He hated it.

"Well, it will take time," Hinata said as she swung her legs off the porch and started relaxing with him. "I think Sasuke will just need time Naruto. He has to work to change his perspective and reality, right now that's probably not easy," she said softly.

"I guess…" he grumbled. "Hey! I have a question, think you could help me with my training?"

"Huh?" she was turning red again as she stared at him with wide pearl colored eyes that neither blinked nor wavered.

"Hello!? Hinata!?" he waved his left hand before her face then and she blinked as she started turning even redder and she seemed to be tongue tied. However, she finally managed to stammer an answer out for him which had him grinning.

"Uh…um… yes, why?" she stuttered.

"Well, you're really good, and everyone's really busy; I don't think Sakura's going to let me near the teme for training just yet," Naruto grinned sheepishly. He had wanted to ask Sakura to train with him again because he was down an arm but he knew that wasn't going to happen. He knew Sakura wasn't letting him near Sasuke, he wasn't entirely certain why this was, but he knew she wasn't going to budge on the matter or tell him why she was being this way for that matter.

He didn't think it was because she was in love with the teme either, there had been the doctor look in her eyes rather than the love look he knew to be in her eyes when she spoke about the teme. And when Sakura was in doctor mode there was no talking to her because there was no loophole or angel he could out fox her with to get his way.

If he had been talking to a member of Team 7 then maybe he could get around her and just have his way and get to spar with the teme but she wasn't acting like a member of Team 7 at this time. She was acting like a doctor and there was no way he could get around her then.

"Uh… yes, I'll train with you," Hinata informed him uncertainly as she inched away from him.

"Great! This will be awesome, I need to learn how to fight with only one hand, and signs… hm, maybe I should ask Sakura for a few tips," Naruot started as he started thinking about just how this training was going to go. He wanted to be a shinobi more than anything in the world, he was still going to be Hokage and he was going to do it even if he had only one arm!

* * *

Hinata just watched him as he enthusiastically launched into his training planning. She smiled slightly as he lost himself in his own planning, he was really looking forward to this. And she just sat there with her heart slamming away mercilessly in her ribs with a thrill and excitement that he had asked her.

Her.

Of all the people he could have volunteering to aid him in his training he had asked her. It made her smile as she sat there thinking of ways to help him in his training. He was obviously excited for it, he was already planning what they were going to do.

"Oh, right, you said you were busy with Tenten, what's up with her? Is she ill or something?" Naruto asked suddenly breaking her from her thoughts of training with him.

"No, no! Tenten's… pregnant," she blurted out and his blue eyes widened at the news. It was shocking news, but at the same time it was also slightly exciting news when you thought about it. Neji wasn't completely dead and gone from them. It was something which warmed her heart as she sat there with Naruto and they both stared out at the rain.

"She's what!?" Naruto sputtered out.

"Pregnant," Hinata replied softly and he just blinked owlishly.

"Tenten's pregnant, huh; I didn't see that coming. Who's the father?" he demanded then.

"Neji," Hinata answered softly.

"NEJI!?" Naruto bellowed out. She giggled slightly at his antics, he seemed so baffled that Neji was the father of a baby that it was amusing in her mind. He just stared at the rain then and sat there in momentary silence before he finally started ranting. "Why does no one ever tell me anything important!? Seriously! No one tells me about the Kage meeting until the day of! Or when Granny Tsunade wakes up! Or when the teme wakes up! Or anything! And now Tenten's pregnant!"

"Naruto, only you, me, Sakura, Tenten, Lee and Guy know about Neji's baby," Hinata chimed in softly which seemed to calm him some but he still seemed a little hurt at being left out of the loop which had her sighing and continuing gently. "Besides, no one wants to worry you while you're healing. It isn't healthy for a wounded person to be worrying so greatly while they should worry and work on healing. Also, Sakura doesn't want you to strain yourself, but she's not going to stop you from working as the Hokage's assistant, she just wanted us not to worry you."

"Sakura?"

"Yes, she did ask that when she signed your discharge papers," Hinata said gently and then she heard heavy footsteps coming which had her eyes pulsing to life as she stood up. It was the Hokage.

"Ah! Hinata, just the lady I needed to speak to, and can I talk with your father while we're at it?" Kakashi asked then.

"Certain, Lord Hokage," she replied.

"Hey Kakashi! Wat'cha doing?" Naruto asked as she started leading them through the labyrinth home to Hiashi's quarters. Her father hadn't really left his quarters because of chakra depletion but he was healthier than most and still an active member of the Hyūga Family Council at this time as they figured out how to move forward from the war.

Gently she rapped the doors to his quarters then.

"Come in," Hiashi ordered, she slid the door open then as she walked in with Kakashi and Naruto hot on Kakashi's heels.

"Ah, Lord Hokage, what may I do for you today?" Hiashi asked as he set aside the document in his hand. Hinata moved to leave then. "Stay Hinata, you are heir to this house again," her father said and she stopped as she turned and took her seat on his right if that was the case.

"Well, I'll be frank Hyūga, I need four sets Byakugan; at least," Kakashi stated which had everyone in the room staring at him.

"And why would you need four members of my clan?" Hiashi asked.

"I have no doubt you've heard the Uchiha's sentence by now, and a part of those terms is the watching of the Uchiha, I need four Hyūga clansmen to help watch after the Uchiah and to keep an eye on him so he doesn't hurt Sakura. Also, four is the number of villages wanting to keep an eye on him and if there is a Hyūga assigned to each little envoy of foreign shinobi then there is less chance of Haruno Sakura being harmed due to a misunderstand between shinobi."

"I see," Hiashi said slowly.

Hinata just sat there tense for she knew the gravity of what this could mean. Especially since the Byakugan, like the Sharingan; was something people wanted and were willing to hunt down to take. She still remembered when she had been kidnapped by the Cloud so long ago, it was her first memory that really stood out and it terrified her. To this day she had problems trusting the cloud Shinobi.

"Please, this is really important," Kakashi said.

"Certainly, I will have four of our clan's most prominent Byakugan users ready to keep watch over the Uchiha; eight should do. Four for days, four for nights?" Hiashi offered and she blinked at her father who just ignored her as he waited for an answer from Kakashi.

"Thank you, Hiashi," Kakashi nodded his head then and left as quickly as he had appeared.

"Wait! We're watching Sasuke like some sort of criminal now!?" Naruto roared to her father.

"Silence Uzumaki," Hiashi said as he stood. "I am doing this because my daughter is your friend, and she is friends with the Haruno girl. I would also rather not have Tsunade's star pupil dead and have her wrath raining down upon the Hyūga House. This is more to protect your friend than the Uchiha though."

"Sasuke would never hurt Sakura," Naruto scoffed.

"That is not what I have heard," Hiashi countered in a hard tone. "Dismissed, and Hinata, you will not be on these watch parties, but collect eight Hyūga members with the keenest Byakugan perception and tell them to report to me for assignments."

"Yes father," she said with a bow as she hurried with Naruto out of the room then and left to do what was ordered of her rather than displease her father like she always had in the past. She wanted his acceptance almost as much as she wanted Naruto to notice her.

* * *

 **Just a head's up, all of the Until the Day I... Stories are slow to start. Sorry, it just is, but I hope you'll like them as they go.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	7. Part 1: Chapter 7

**Thank You Halftime! =) I thank you for your honest opinion and I hope I can write Naruto better from here. I am trying to keep him in character, but I'm not always certain if he's in character, so thank you for pointing that out. I will strive to write him better.**

 **P.S. I'm serious here folks, I have no clue how well I can write Naruto and I need feedback to know if he's in character or not. I'll take PMs or reviews for advice on how well I am or am not writing Naruto.**

 **Again a Special Thanks to Halftime for being honest with me! =)**

 **Back to our regularly scheduled story...**

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 **.**

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 **I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 7**

Naruto had stormed straight to Sakura's apartment when it had occurred to him that she could be hurt taking care of the teme, it honestly had not even crossed his mind. Sakura was indestructible and she had the temper of a volcano in a typhoon; he knew, he'd been slugged by her before. It hurt, come to think of it, Sakura hit him a lot… and now that he was thinking about it that wasn't really a 'friend' thing to do. Not that she was really his friend, she was his family really and he loved her like she was family, but he was infuriated with the thought of the teme hurting her.

The teme may be his best friend, but Sakura was his sister and if the teme hurt her one more time it was going to be the last thing the teme did.

Honestly, this had slipped his mind completely in his zeal at having the teme back and back to normal. He hadn't thought about what this would mean for Sakura, but more than that, he hadn't really thought about what it would do to her having to take care of the tem. And this made him feel like a crappy brother; like he said, he and Sakura were no longer friends, they hadn't been for a long time.

They were family. And it was that simple for him as he reached her apartment door and pounded on it knowing the teme was confined here.

"I know you're in there teme! Open this damn door or I'll break it and you can explain to Sakura why she doesn't have a door anymore!" he roared as he pounded mercilessly on it.

"What!?" The door was yanked open then and he found himself glaring into his best friend's dual colored eyes as he shoved past Sasuke then and walked in. Sakura's apartment had… changed, but it didn't matter.

"We need to talk," he stated and spun around on Sasuke who was at her kitchenette with a knife and a tomato on the counter; for some reason this further infuriated him but he shoved his fury away.

"What is it, dobe?" Sasuke demanded.

"I'm here to warn you off of Sakura," Naruto snapped as he scowled at the dobe, even Kurama was roused from his nap right now as he started growling in agreement that Sakura needed to be looked out for.

"If you want her, have her dobe; though I know she'll knock your ass to Suna and back," Sasuke snapped and he slammed the knife down.

"No!" Naruto shook his head to shove the image of Sakura being his out of his head. "That's… Kami Sasuke! Don't you know how she feels about you!? I'm her brother!" Naruto finally snapped as he finally looked at the irate looking teme.

"Then shut up dobe," Sasuke snarled lowly as he grabbed his tomato and turned to face him while taking a bite of said tomato. Naruto was disgusted with his best friend then, Sasuke wasn't taking this seriously and Naruto had had the image of Sakura crying alone after Sasuke repeatedly breaking her heart as she tried to hide her pain from him and everyone in his head. And the teme was eating a fucking tomato; Naruto wanted to beat him to death now.

"Teme! Stop Being An Ass For Once!" he spat out. "You know exactly how she felt about you the first time when you shattered her heart and then proceeded to drag all the pieces through whatever hell you pleased! You weren't fucking here to try to pick up the pieces though, were you? No! You were after revenge! Fucking Revenge, Sasuke! You brok her, you wore her down and you made her cry! But You Were Never Here To See It! And if she has it her way you'll never know about it!" Naruto was shouting as he remembered.

A girl whom he thought to be his sister now, she had cried and been in pain because of the teme and Naruto had forgotten about that when the teme had been brought back to the village. He'd just been happy to have his best friend back. But Hiashi's words had reminded him, painfully reminded him of something Sakura hid very well, and if he hadn't actually had to try to patch her up so many times afterwards, he wouldn't have known she was in pain. And yes, it made him a shitty friend to forget this, but Sakura could be just as shitty of a friend to him at times. However, she was his family and he'd forgive her; just as she'd always forgive him.

"I never asked her to love me, dobe!" Sasuke retorted.

"No, you didn't," Naruto admitted reluctantly. "And I've never asked her to love me, but she does, Sasuke. She loves you so fucking much I envy you. Yeah, you know when we were dying, and you said you envied me; my only fucking thought was why? Why the fuck would you envy me when you had a girl like Sakura ready to be whatever you needed and/or wanted? And she'd do anything for you Sasuke! Sakura is will to do anything for you, she is willing to fucking die if it would ease your pain and suffering. She'd kill for you, she'd die for you, she'd probably even commit high treason for you, and you've never seen that! you've never fucking seen how much she loves you!

"You may have said you envy me Sasuke, but I envy you; you have something I will probably never have," Naruto admitted this reluctantly. See, once upon a time he had wanted Sakura's heart, he had wanted her love and her attention, and he didn't want a piece or a part of it, he wanted it all. But she couldn't give it to him, he knew she'd tried before, but she couldn't. And the funniest thing of it all was, he wanted love like that. he wanted a girl he could give everything to and have everything in return, but he didn't and he didn't think he'd ever have it. But Sasuke did, and Sakura gave it all to him.

"And You're Too Fucking Stupid To Just Shut Up, Accept It And Appriciate It! However, just because I'm not the one she'll ever love that way doesn't mean I can't make this clear to you, teme." Naruto's tone dropped into a low snarl as he glared at the teme.

"Break her heart one more fucking time and I will break every bone in your body and let Kurama eat you." The fox muttered something about heart burn from eating the Uchiha but Naruto ignored him right now. "She's putting a hell of a lot more than her faith in you teme. Don't fucking break her this time."

"Sakura will do whatever she pleases, Naruto. I do not own her," Sasuke said in an even tone which just grated his already boiling temper as he stood there in Sakura's newly cleaned apartment.

"No, but you have her heart in your hands teme. Break it again and the world won'd need to worry about your redemption because I will break you," Naruto snapped as he left her apartment before he broke the teme in his remembered fury at every time the teme hurt Sakura.

He didn't want to break the teme though and that meant leaving now as he stalked through the rebuilding village and tried not to lash out at the world.

A drop of rain hit his head and he looked up to the sky as he sighed and shoved his left hand into his pocket as he again remembered he didn't have a right arm. Naruto didn't see Sakura in the village as he walked back to the Hyūga compound and tried to remember how he had forgotten certain things. He walked back into the compound to see Hinata standing on the porch with her Byakugan pulsing as she looked around.

"Naruto!" she breathed his name so softly that if he hadn't had Kurama also using his body he'd have never heard her as her lips formed his name and he stopped as he stared at her. The rain was falling on his head and sliding over his head and body and into his eyes as stared into her pearl colored ones. She didn't look away as she moved on the porch and he walked up to the porch then and sighed.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"Are you alright?" she asked and he shook his head, he wasn't alright and he didn't know if he would be again. This was usually the part where he got a hug from Sakura and told everything was going to be alright even if it was a lie.

Instead Hinata shyly reached out and touched his shoulder which had him looking at her and she smiled shyly at him. He just felt tears well up in his eyes as he finally broke and everything he'd kept at bay crashed into him at that moment as he fell to the porch ground and sobbed for the first time since becoming a member of Team 7.

* * *

Hinata just sat on the porch with Naruto after he finally collapsed in a heap of tears as he sobbed furiously. Her own silent tears slipped past her lashes because she'd do anything to relieve him of his pain.

Anything.

But she knew she could relieve him of the pain he felt, she could only ever hope that he let her stand beside him and bear the burden with him as she hesitantly pulled him in for a gentle hug. She didn't know what else to do, she had always been raised in a clan without public displays of affection, and what affection was expressed was expressed in private where no one could see it. She knew this which was she didn't know what to do for him.

However, his arm wrapped around her as he pulled her into his wet form and he clung to her desperately, like a child about to lose their lifeline. Hinata said nothing as she gently stroked his hair and whispered nonsense to him and tried not to faint from how he was holding her.

Her face was aflame with how he was clinging to her and just sobbing into her shoulder.

"He's not the same, he's not the same," Naruto kept sobbing out.

"I know," Hinata murmured. And he finally pulled away from her as he rubbed his eyes of their tears. She pulled herself away from him slight, just to remain polite; but she didn't want to leave his warmth just then.

"He… he's the teme, he is, but he's not the same," Naruto finally said shakily.

"You're not the same either," she gently pointed out which had him blinking. "None of us are the same, Naruto. We never can be after everything we saw and did in the war. There's only moving forward."

"Huh?" Naruto blinked and he thought this over.

"War is hell," she stated the fact that her clan taught since she was a child. "It brings to light horrors which no man should ever bear witness to and makes men do atrocities they'd never dare otherwise. War takes, and it takes everything from us. And when war is over, the only left is pain, blood, horrors and tears, and the only thing we as human beings can do after hurting each other so thoroughly is pick ourselves up and move foreward with our lives."

"Hinata," he whispered.

"Sasuke isn't going to be the same, but neither you. By accepting this, you move forward and perhaps in the process you and Sasuke remain friends," Hinata said softly.

"Thank you, Hinata," he mumbled and they both sat there; wet, and shivering but neither moved as they watched the rain until the day was completed. She stood with Naruto and walked to her quarters in silence, he didn't speak either which was unusual for him but she guessed he was processing everything that had happened in the past two months to get them here.

Kami knew she was so she didn't go insane from the memories plaguing her mind and nightmares.

Peeling off her wet garments she walked into her shower and sat in the steam for a while she tried to calm her heart and mind and tried not to think of how good it had felt to be held by Naruto when he had grabbed her. However, she couldn't forget it as she got out of the shower and went to bed for the night.

It had felt perfect to be held by him.

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 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	8. Part 1: Chapter 8

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 8**

Naruto woke up on the first morning for his training with Hinata and found himself staring at the ceiling wondering what the hell was he supposed to do now.

Funny, it hit him like a Tailed Beast Bomb; he had no clue what he was going to do now. True, Sasuke was awake, true Sasuke was on probation for his crimes, and true, the teme was still the teme but the only question he had running through his head this morning after fighting so hard to get his friend off the execution line was 'now what?'.

Sitting up slowly he got to his feet feeling off balanced as he went to the restroom.

For five years his sole purpose in life was to get Sasuke back in the village, to save his best friend, well, he had accomplished that, and now he had warned the teme off of Sakura so now the question for him was; what did he do now?

Well, he was going to still work to be Hokage, he knew that because he wasn't giving that up; ever. But he just didn't know how he was going to do that with only one arm… dilemmas.

Changing he was quick to leave his quarters and seek out Hinata. She was dressed and waiting for him at the entrance of the Hyūga compound. She smiled shyly to him, he grinned back because he was going to be alright. He'd have to be alright, there was a world in peril to patch up and he had to figure out how to live off of his left hand for the time being. Which was a terrifying thought but he was going to be the best ninja ever and become Hokage. He would be Hokage, he would have to just work that much harder to do that and he could do it. But he didn't even know how to weave signs.

"Morning Hinata," he greeted.

"Hi," she turned red and they started walking out of the Hyūga compound towards the training fields outside of the village. It was odd how the old compounds and the old training fields had survived the attack from Pain, thinking of Pain had him looking at Hinata.

"Hey," he spoke then. He didn't remember much about the Pain attack; well, that wasn't entirely true, he didn't remember much before his father and he had had a chat in his psyche about his being a jinchūriki. After his seal had been fixed he remembered the fight, but Kurama didn't like talking about that attack, and Kurama refused to tell him what had triggered that rage to read Eight Tails; almost Nine. But, Sakura had told him Hinata had been badly hurt trying to save him when he had been pinned down by Pain.

"Hm?"

"The day Pain attacked, why did you interfere? Sakura said you were hurt really badly," Naruto said as they walked. She stopped for a moment and he watched her as she looked down at her feet.

"Do you not remember?" she whispered.

"Uh-uh," he shook his head and she looked at him with a slight smile.

"I came to your aid that day…" she paused for a moment and bit her lip as she clenched her hands. "Because you came for me when I dueled Neji," she said softly. "I couldn't leave you there alone, and I just… I just… I couldn't, I didn't want you to be killed."

"But you could've died," Naruto pointed out and she smiled softly; but it was a sad smile which had him confused.

"I knew that," she replied gently.

"Oh, well… thanks for… uh… saving me?" he guessed and she bobbed her head as they walked to the training field. They arrived at the old Team 7 training field.

"Um… I don't think I'm going to be signing anytime soon so taijutsu?" he said.

"Alright," she agreed and he looked at his right sleeve flapping in the slight breeze then he looked at her. Hinata slid into a fighting stance, her palms open as she looked at him. "Whenever you are ready," she said softly.

"Um…okay," he frowned and then he lunged at her. He drew his right hand back to throw the punch but found his sleeve being blasted when she hit him with a light, but solid tap just below his heart.

"You do not have a right hand," she chided.

"Damn it, this is going to be harder than I thought," he grumbled as he pulled away from her and they again took up their stances. She held her stand and he again tried to come at her, Hinata nimbly avoided him as she placed her light taps to show where he'd be crippled as he crashed into the grass again. She offered him a hand, which he took and she turned red at his action. He didn't get Hinata but they spent the next few hours just trying to figure out how to get him to fight her and not have her slipping around and hitting his right side's pressure points.

"Alright, so if I twist up and hook my leg here, then I can defend my right, and hit you with my left," he figured as he and Hinata slowly figured out the move, she blocked his fist but then he found himself on his back and her stand there with a faint blush and smile.

"But your balance is not strong," she pointed out softly which had him sighing as his head fell back in the grass. This used to be so much easier when he had two hands.

"Damn it," he grumbled out and sat up.

"Um, perhaps… perhaps we practice your balance first?" she hesitantly suggested and he peeked up at her as he thought it over. It was funny how important balance was and how you never noticed it until it was thrown off.

"Sure, but first, let's get lunch, I'm starving," he grinned and she blushed as she nodded and he got to his feet, thrown a bit by the fact that his right side still felt oddly light.

* * *

Hinata didn't know how to improve balance, and she was thinking this over as she watched Naruto walk while her Byakugan was pulsing. She was watching how he was moving and trying to see how he was being thrown off with his balance. All she saw was he swayed a bit to his left, like his right side was too light now, and he always seemed to forget he didn't have a right arm anymore when he went to grab things. She sighed.

"Perhaps we should talk to Sakura or Tsunade for ideas on how to improve your balance," she suggested softly. It wasn't that she didn't want to help him, she did; but she had no idea how to help him at this moment. Which was slightly painful as she ran a hand through her hair and tried to think of a way to help him out. But she didn't know how to help him with this balance problem.

Now, before one pointed out that she was very chest heavy she would point out that puberty; despite being evil; was not instantaneous and she had grown accustom to the huge weight on her chest. Which was why she did not have a balance problem. And she had had to talk this over with Kiba and Shino once or twice when they would ask; which had been very embarrassing and very uncomfortable chats. But her boys were very attuned to what her body was doing, and what was going on and that had made it impossible for them to have privacy.

At least Kurenai had explained periods so she'd never have that talk with them.

But balance was never something she had had a problem with and she didn't know how to help Naruto with it, even though she really wanted to help him. But there was nothing coming to mind for her to help him.

"Sasuke is going through the same problems so maybe he'd have some ideas; him and Sakura," he said thoughtfully as he struggled to get a grip on his chopsticks as they ate at Ichiraku's. He scowled at his hand and she smiled to herself as she reached over and corrected the position he was holding his chopsticks. She blushed when he grinned and eagerly slurped away his noodles.

"Well, if Sasuke is having the same training with one arm perhaps we can train with them," she said softly.

"Yeah, that's not a bad idea! We'll go talk them about that right after lunch!" he declared eagerly. She just nodded as she quietly ate her own meal. Once they finished their meal they paid and left, she blushed at the thought of this almost being like a date with Naruto, which made her feel nervous but Naruto was smiling and relaxed as they walked towards the Uchiha compound.

There was a blast of chakra which had her Byakugan pulsing instantly as Naruto darted forward.

"Wait Naruto!" she called out, Sakura and Sasuke seemed to be dueling. "They're dueling!"

"Huh?" he stopped then and spun around to stare at her.

"They're dueling," she repeated. "Perhaps we should come and ask them tomorrow morning," she said as her Byakugan deactivated and the world looked 'normal' again. Both views were normal to her and she didn't term them really what was normal and what wasn't.

"Oh, okay," he mumbled and she sighed. She had heard the reports from her clansmen that Sasuke wasn't well in the mind, and when he and Sakura dueled not to get between them because it wasn't a guarantee if the Uchiha even knew which reality he was in. Sakura had explained to the watchmen what was going on, Hinata had only absently listened to the reports when they were given to her father in the evening.

"Do you want to practice being left handed?" she asked softly as they walked towards the Hyūga compound.

"Uh… no, I think I'm going to go talk with Kakashi for a bit and see what he needs help on," Naruto said.

"Oh…" she mumbled.

"But maybe tonight?" he offered and she nodded.

"Sure, I'm going to go check in on Tenten," she said then and he nodded as they parted ways. She enjoyed being with him, and she smiled to herself as she walked towards the compound and greeted her clansmen. She knew Tenten hadn't left the compound at all today, there was a Hyūga posted on her, and she was being monitored closely because she was pregnant at the moment. It was important to them.

Quietly she made her way to Neji's room and lightly rapped the door.

"Hm?" she heard, and Hinata slid the door open to see Tenten laying on the bed with Neji's photo in hand.

"Let's go for a walk," Hinata said softly as she walked over to the older woman and gently pulled the photo away from Tenten. The teary brown eyes looked up at her as Hinata helped her cousin's lover up to her feet.

"Where are we going?" Tenten asked once she was dressed respectably again and again she was helped out of the Hyūga compound.

"To the hospital, you should visit Lee and Guy again, they would will want to see you and they will want to know how Neji's baby is doing," Hinata pointed out as she walked arm in arm with Tenten.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to be a mom," Tenten murmured softly.

"That's alright," Hinata uncertainly assured the older girl as they walked towards the hospital. "You have the Hyūga clan's help."

"I don't think I've thanked you," Tenten mumbled and looked at her with teary eyes. "Thanked you for not throwing me out or forcing me out and for not turning me away for being Neji's lover."

"Neji was family," Hinata replied gently. "And he loved you very much," she pointed out as they walked together.

"How do you know he loved me?"

"Because, he wouldn't have been with you if he didn't love you," Hinata murmured gently.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	9. Part 1: Chapter 9

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 9**

Naruto was laying on the ground, winded again for the umpteenth time this week as Hinata stood over him with her Byakugan active, the spider web of her eye's veins were pumping hard as she stood there panting.

"P-Perhaps, we should ask Sakura… and Sasuke for help… now," she panted as she collapsed into the grass with him.

"M…Maybe that's not a bad idea," he huffed out as he blew a heavy breath as his heart continued to slam mercilessly in his ribs as he stared at the sky. "This was a lot easier… with… two arms," he breathed.

"Not… disagreeing," Hinata gasped.

"When… we catch our breath… we'll go find… Sasuke and Sakura," he wheezed out. She nodded and they lay there for a solid hour. He found himself enjoying the peace he felt when he was with Hinata, but he still felt odd hanging out in the silence with her. But Hinata seemed content to enjoy the silence with him, so he never pressed his luck and chatted away to ruin a moment with her.

"We should go," she sighed.

"Yeah," he agreed reluctantly as he got up, he nearly toppled back to the ground when he went to put his weight on his right and there was nothing to support him, Hinata's hand grabbed him before he went into the ground.

"Thanks," he replied once he stood up and she nodded with a blush while a slight smile was on her lips as they walked away from the Team 7 training field. They walked to the Uchiha compound, Hinata stopped at the entrance.

"Aren't you coming?" he demanded when he saw she wouldn't come in.

"N-No," she stammered with a shake of her head.

"Why not!?" he demanded then.

"Because… this is for you," she said softly and his eyes widened as she nodded encouragingly at him to go. Naruto jogged off as he looked around for his friends, he found them at the top of a hill and grinned as he jogged up to them.

"SAKURA! TEME! You two are hard to find!" he lied.

Sakura was quick to stand to face him as she smiled slightly at him.

"It's training, Naruto," Sakura smiled slightly. "What's up?"

"Kakashi told me you two were here, I was wondering…" his tongue suddenly felt knotted as he tried to talk to Sakura and Sasuke. He was a little embarrassed about this problem because he was a shinobi and he was not incompetent but he was a little off balanced and incapable of forming signs which was highly embarrassing for a shinobi of his level at this moment. "…You could… uh… you know, help me with the… uh, one hand signing," he mumbled sheepishly.

"Yeah Naruto," Sakura smiled brightly then but she was quick to sober up as she looked over to Sasuke and back to him.

" _ **But**_ it's up to Sasuke, it's his training," she was being gentle about what she was saying as if not to provoke Sasuke which had him looking at Sasuke who's dual colored eyes were watching him as if he were still an enemy. He looked back to Sakura who was standing there looking as calm as possible while she waited for Sasuke's answer.

"Hn," was all that was grunted.

"I'll take that as a not together, right now," Sakura said slowly and Sasuke nodded. Naruto didn't understand the entire exchange but it was clear that there was something going on beneath the surface here, he'd pry into this later because he wanted them to be normal again.

"Alright, here's what we will do, I'm taking my leave from the hospital to help Sasuke, Naruto; I'll split the afternoons between the two of you starting next week." She was firm about this as she looked at Sasuke rather than him.

"Ah," he whined, he wanted to train together. "Can't we just train together? It'll be like old times!"

A glare from Sakura said they'd discuss this later.

"Sasuke doesn't want to do that Naruto, and right now, you should respect his wishes," she said firmly but in a soft even tone which had him looking over to Sasuke only to see Sasuke visibly relax then.

"But!" he started and a look from Sakura had him stopping before he started in on her.

"How about this," she proposed. "For a month we'll train separately; I have two weeks before my leave starts and for the first month of it we'll train separately. After that we'll train together. But," there was a warning edge in her tone then. "We will only do this if Sasuke's comfortable with this," she looked at Sasuke then to confirm this and he was shocked when the teme seemed more relieved about this than anything. Even for Sasuke this was not normal.

"Fine," he decided. He had a feeling he wouldn't win this.

"Agreed Sasuke?" Sakura demanded in a sharp tone. Sasuke scowled but he grunted and shrugged. "Alright, that's settled. You and I will start your training in two weeks Naruto, and Sasuke; you and I will continue out routine."

"Thanks Sakura," he grinned at her, she smiled in return but then he glared at the teme. "And teme, remember our deal," he growled as he let Kurama's chakra leak from him as warning.

Sasuke said nothing as he stalked away from them and went to meet up with Hinata.

She was waiting for him at the gates of the Uchiha compound with a shy smile as he approached. Something about her being here for him made him feel happy in a way as he grinned in return. Seeing the teme the way he had been had been startling to him, and it had also been terrifying in a way. It was like the teme wasn't even all there.

"Thanks for that Hinata, she said she'd help me out in two weeks," he explained.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you more," Hinata mumbled as they walked through the village again.

"What!? Are you kidding you've been the largest help ever! I'd never be able to do this alone, I can't make more of myself so it's not like I can practice dueling with myself," he pointed out glumly. Was it odd that he was missing the company of his shadow clones?

"Really?" she finally squeaked which had his attention then as he looked at her red face again. Why did she always get red around him?

* * *

"Yeah, you've been the most helpful person I know," he said as they walked. "Even more helpful than Sakura."

"I'm glad I can help," she mumbled softly as she felt her face heating up and she stared at her feet while they walked in companionable silence. She was shocked to hear she had been more helpful to him than Sakura had been when Sakura was like his family. Naruto always spoke so highly of Sakura that it always made Hinata a little envious of the pinkette. But perhaps this was not always the case, she thought as she dared to peek up at the blonde who was walking with her with a serious expression on his face which made him look a little like a goofball. She smiled to herself at the sight of that expression as they walked together.

"Hey, I didn't ask Sakura but do you think you could join us when we train?" he asked her suddenly.

"Huh?" she blinked in shock at his question.

"Well, I mean, you've been a lot of help to me, and you and Sakura together might be able to help me out with the sign weaving issue and my balance," Naruto explained.

"Oh… certainly, Naruto," she replied shyly and she felt her heart flutter at his offer. It wasn't flattery or anything, but it warmed her all the same that he was asking her to help him with his training. To her it showed her that he at least saw her in some way, his younger-self had never seen her, she knew that but it had never stopped her from loving him.

"Hey, have you heard about when Kiba and Shino will be back in the village?" Naruto asked.

"Yes," she replied as they arrived at Ichiraku's. "They'll be home next week," she informed him as she took his chopsticks and helped him fix them in his left handed grip. They were served their ramen and Naruto quickly inhaled his.

"How's Tenten?" Naruto asked when he finished his first bowl of noodles.

"She's hurting," Hinata answered.

"Oh," Naruto's head bobbed as his second bowl was placed in front of him and they continued to eat in silence. This was pleasant in her mind, she liked being with him even when he was frustrated with his left hand as he swore at dropping his chopstick. Hinata silently helped him correct his chopstick, he turned a little red as she helped him out.

"Thanks Hinata," he said between frantic mouthfuls.

"Mmhmm," she hummed as she ate her own noodles.

"Um… excuse me," a girl's voice piped up behind them which had her stiffening as she slowly turned with Naruto to look at a young woman. She was their age, sandy brown hair and dark eyes, she stood with two other girls, both a little younger than herself and both with short hair as they smiled at them. Naruto gave her a confused look as he then glared at the chopstick that fell from his fingers.

"Hello," Hinata greeted, the younger two glared at her and she flinched.

"You're Uzumaki Naruto right!?" the long haired one persisted.

"Uh… yes?" he replied uncertainly, the girls squealed, and Hinata looked to her lap then. So, this began now… this didn't surprise her, she remembered when this had been happening in the Academy for the Uchiha, and now Naruto was the famous one, he was the hero, he was the world's savior; of course the girls would start worshipping him. Quietly Hinata scooted away as Naruto started a friendly chat with the girls who were hanging off his every word.

"Alright, see you later," Naruto said and he turned back to his meal, he glared at the chopsticks then huffed out a sigh.

"Missing my right arm sucks!" he huffed out, she smiled as she helped him get a grip on his chopsticks again. They finished their meal in silence and they started waking together again towards the Hyūga compound.

"That was weird," he finally said.

"Huh?"

"Those girls, that was weird. Girls usually yell at me or ignore me," he admitted and she smiled softly.

"Well, you saved the village and the world Naruto, that changes people's views on you," she informed him. he just blinked and thought about it, she smiled, it was sort of bittersweet that the world was finally seeing what she saw in Naruto, but she had seen it since she had met him that first time. that kindness, that unwavering spirit, the fighter and the lover in him, and all that strength. He just inspired people once they were touched by his courage, and his genuine honesty, also his tenacity. Naruto was a force of nature once people met him, and he was impressive.

"I don't see how, but alright," he finally said as he shrugged. She laughed a bit, but not at him, rather at his confusion.

"Just be you Naruto," she said gently and he grinned.

"Well, who else am I going to be?" he laughed. She didn't dare to say that fame could change people, she knew it wasn't a big deal, but it was important to remain true to one's self. Also, a selfish part of her, had hopes that he'd never change who he was because it was his force which had always inspired her to strive to be better than she was. It was that part of him she loved the most, the part of him which made her feel free and safe. And he didn't even know that as they walked onto the compound grounds with laughs and smiles.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	10. Part 1: Chapter 10

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 10**

Since he didn't live with a medic at the Hyūga compound he found himself going to the hospital with Hinata for his first check up since his discharge six weeks prior. Sakura had already arranged the appointment for him with Tsunade so he couldn't finagle his way out of going, and Hinata had been told about the appointment so he was going. After all, he didn't want to end up being a hole in the ground because Sakura came after him for missing his appointment.

"Naruto, are you alright?" Hinata asked when they got nearer to the hospital.

"Uh…" he didn't have an answer for that as he stared at the building. He didn't really want to be here but he didn't want to get on Sakura's bad side either.

"Come on," she tugged his sleeve and he followed her with reluctance. "I'll wait for you out in the waiting area," she said softly once they were in.

"Thanks Hinata," he mumbled as he walked up to the nurse's station where a young woman looked up at him.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Uzumaki for Tsunade," he grumbled.

"Right, her office is on the fourth floor two doors from the elevator on the right," the nurse said briskly as she walked off. He just walked to the elevator and pressed the button. It was strange seeing how much chaos the hospital was in almost two months after the war had concluded. The elevator dinged open on the second floor and he saw pink walking with green.

"Sakura!" he shouted and slipped off the elevator, he hadn't seen her since last week when he had secured her promise to train with him.

"Hey Naruto! I'll come chat with you about it some more Lee," Sakura informed bushy-brows.

"Thank you Sakura! You are truly the best," Lee announced as he hobbled off on his crutches. Sakura smiled at him as he caught up to her.

"What's up?" she asked.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were with Sasuke," Naruto stated flatly.

"I am, he's here for evaluation," she explained as they walked to a hallway bench.

"Evaluation?" he repeated.

"Yes, Naruto, evaluation," she explained patiently.

"Why?" Naruto demanded. "Why is Sasuke on evaluation?"

"Naruto, he's hurt, and this isn't a pain of the heart or the body, his mind, it's hurting him Naruto. He's here for evaluation," she said calmly and he felt his temper boiling then. Sasuke was fine!

"He's fine!" Naruto argued, Sakura sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"No, Naruto, he's not, he is not fine. He hurts, Naruto, he hurts a lot, but…" she sighed then she looked him in the eye and he found himself stiffening under her penetrating look. "He's healing, Naruto, and don't expect him to be fine or the same as when we knew him as a genin. He's not the same, and you expecting him to be fine or the same is not only foolish but will hurt him a great deal if you can't accept who he is now, Naruto. He's here for an evaluation to make certain his mind is healing, to make certain he's making progress."

"But Sakura, he came to our aid in the war, he's apologized, he's fine. He doesn't need an evaluation, Sasuke perfectly fine!" Naruto argued, the teme had been eating a fucking tomato when he had been yelling at him to stay away from Sakura for Kami's sake! If that didn't say he was alright then he didn't know what did say Uchiha Sasuke was alright!

Sakura let out a bitter laugh then which had him staring at her with wide eyes.

"You know, that's exactly why I didn't have you two together in a room when you guys were recovering. It wasn't because I didn't want you two to be around each other, it's because you get your expectations up and I didn't want Sasuke suffering to try to reach them to try to be what he's not and I didn't want you being disappointed when he couldn't meet your expectations," Sakura said bitterly with a smile which seemed cruel. He flinched.

"I do not expect anything from him! He's my best friend!" Naruto argued.

"Oh? You don't expect anything of him?" she asked coolly which had him doing a double take of her expression. Sakura's temper when it ran hot was painful, but when her temper was ice it was hell.

"No!" Naruto said firmly.

"I don't believe you, Naruto, and you know why I don't believe you? It's because I know you, I know you want him to be alright, to be the Sasuke we knew before he ran off but he never will be. He's not the same man who we hunted, he's not the Uchiha who came to our aid in the war, and he's not the Sasuke we knew as genin. He's hurt, Naruto, and you have to realize he's not going to be alright, right now and to expect it of him is foolish."

"But!" he started.

"Naruto, he needs a friend, I'm not his friend; you are, but if you can't accept who he is now, if you expect something of him, Naruto, you'll hurt him. if you can accept who he is now, Naruto, and you can accept that this Sasuke isn't the same one you knew before, then I think you two can be best friends again. And think carefully about it Naruto, because I think he could really use a friend right about now, because I'm not his friend. I'm his pain in the ass," she said softly.

Naruto frowned and looked her straight in the eye when he spoke his next, carefully thought out, words.

"Sakura, the teme is my best friend," he stated a fact he believed still held true. "And I'm not going to expect anything of him."

"Alright," she sighed. "Then how about you come by for a quiet dinner tonight, Naruto? I think seeing you might relax him."

"Can I bring Hinata?" he asked.

"Sure, it's a _quiet_ dinner," Sakura said softly.

"Thanks Sakura," he said softly as they stood. He didn't think as he pulled her into him then for a solid hug, her arms wrapped around him then in a tight hug.

"Thank you Naruto, now go to the appointment with Tsunade," she said firmly.

"How'd you know!?" he demanded.

"Because, despite being exhausted I know what the date is, now move it Uzumaki or I'll punch you up to her office!" Sakura barked, he darted off before she followed through with the threat.

* * *

After being here for three hours Hinata was eagerly awaiting for Naruto to come out of his appointment so they could leave because she didn't particularly like hospitals.

"Hey Hinata, what are you doing here?" she turned at that brash voice and smiled.

"Hey Kiba, Akamaru, Shino! When did you get back!?" she asked as she was hugged by Kiba.

"Yesterday, dumb Cloud-nin wanted to take the long route here!" Kiba snorted.

"Why, you ask? Because they did not know how to get to our village quickly," Shino said softly.

"We heard you were reinstated as the Hyūga Head Family's Heir!" Kiba announced giddily as he cut off Shino. She smiled at her friend's exuberance and at seeing that things hadn't changed at all since she had last seen them before the war.

"Yes, what about you guys?" she asked.

"My family named me as heir, Hana's unable to be the head of the family," Kiba announced.

"My family also named me the heir," Shino replied softly. Akamaru barked then and she scratched the dog's ears then.

"That's wonderful," she murmured earnestly. She was happy for her friends, even though the Inuzuka and Aburame Clans were not as old or as noble as the Hyūga Clan they were a prestigious set of Clans for the Leaf. "Why are you two here?" Hinata asked finally.

"Oh, my sister," Kiba answered.

"What!? Hana's hurt?" Hinata demanded in shock.

"Yeah, her knee was pretty ripped up apparently, anyway, she's got the best surgens fixing her up but we came to say hi," Kiba announced. Hinata saw the slight blush on Shino's cheeks before he further hid his face behind the collar of his coat. She had always suspected that he had had a crush on Kiba's older sister.

"Alright, tell her I said to get well soon," she said softly when she heard the ding of the elevator doors and saw Naruto walk out of them and walk over to her.

"Will do, hey, maybe we can all go to dinner sometime and catch up about the war," Kiba suggested.

"I'd like that," Hinata said softly.

"Sounds fine," Shino mumbled as they walked over to the elevator.

"No dogs allowed in the hospital," the desk nurse called out harshly. Akamaru whined but he stayed in the lobby as she walked off with Naruto who just seemed distracted for a bit.

"Hey Hinata, would you like to come to Sakura's for dinner tonight?" Naruto finally asked.

"Sure," she replied with a smile. She didn't really want to spend an evening with Sakura and Naruto together, because she always felt like she got cut out of their group but she liked Sakura enough to want to go with him and see how the pinkette was doing after the war. She hadn't seen Sakura since Sakura had asked her to take Naruto in and she did like Sakura. But there was that small, petty, jealous part of her which didn't like Sakura for holding Naruto's attentions and affections.

"Thanks, Sasuke's going to be there too," Naruto grinned.

"That's wonderful, Naruto," she smiled softly because she didn't know what to expect as they walked into the Hyūga compound together. There was a girl's scream which had had her Byakugan pulsing to life as she an Naruto raced through the corridors of the Hyūga main house. She threw open the door of Neji's old room and ran in, Tenten was screaming as blood streamed down her legs.

"Quick! Get Sakura!" Tenten screamed. Hinata was running past Naruto.

"Naruto, stay with Tenten!" Hinata shouted desperately as she raced out of the room, out of the main house and onto the street as she scanned for Sakura's chakra signature. Seeing it she ran across the town, running through the construction sights and on the built rooftops as she skidded to a halt at the door where Sakura's and Sasuke's chakras were residing. Desperately she pounded the door.

"Coming!"

"Sakura!" she screamed, the door was open and she looked at the frazzled pinkette.

"What is it Hinata?"

"It's Tenten! She's bleeding really badly," Hinata cried out.

"Shit! Sasuke stay here!" Sakura shouted as they ran back to the Hyūga compound. Sakura threw open the door of Neji's room, Hinata was a step behind her.

"Naruto, I need you to get me the following," Sakura said and blasted off a list of things which had the panicking blonde running out of the room. "Alright, Hinata, I need the following for you to collect, and then stay out in the hall if I need you," Sakura said and suddenly listed off things as Tenten sobbed hysterically on the tiles and pressed a blood soaked towel between her legs.

"Alright," Hinata nodded as she ran out of the room and left Tenten with Sakura. Upon return she rapped a closed door, it was yanked open, Sakura grabbed the stuff and the door was shut again. Hinata stood there trembling when Naruto came crashing through the hall with his arm filled with stuff.

"I got the stuff Sakura!" Naruto shouted. the door was again yanked open, Sakura grabbed the stuff and without another word shut the door. Hinata felt tears slip past her guard then as she sunk to the floor trembling.

"No," she whispered.

"Hey, Hinata!" Naruto gasped and he came to her level.

"No! No! No!" she sobbed and before she knew it she was clinging to him as she sobbed so hard her body was shaking hysterically.

"It'll be alright, Hinata, it'll be alright," Naruto was whispering as he awkwardly held her. she just couldn't stop crying.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	11. Part 1: Chapter 11

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 11**

The seconds moved slowly as she trembled in fear. There was ice in her veins and it had her shivering as she hugged herself and waited for Sakura to reemerge from the room where she was working on Tenten. An arm wrapped around her shoulders which had her jumping as she looked at who was with her, she had forgotten Naruto was here with her.

"It'll be alright," Naruto said uncertainly.

"Uh-huh," she nodded. She didn't know whether or not she could believe that but she jumped to attention when the door rattled open and she was assaulted by the coopery tang of blood, the shakes started up again when she looked at Sakura who was covered in Tenten's blood.

"She suffered a cervical tear, I saved the baby and her but if this happens again she will lose the baby," Sakura said. The relief which flooded her had her leaning on Naruto heavily as he struggled to keep her up.

"For now I have her sedated, but when she comes to there will need to be a serious talk about her either moving to the hospital for her pregnancy, or a serious thought to medical personnel coming to watch over her; again, when she wakes we'll discuss this. For now, I want her being watched over if you don't mind sparing the personnel for the time being, she should be waking sometime tomorrow and with this tear and how much blood she lost I want her monitored for her own safety, if she starts bleeding again."

"O-Of course," Hinata stammered. She was certain that someone could watch over Tenten, and if no one would then she would do it herself. There had been enough loss from this war she didn't want them to lose more.

"Also, Tenten is fourteen weeks along from my chakra analyst which means we were off by about three weeks, but that's alright, it's better for the baby, give the child a fighting chance," Sakura said softly. She felt the tears slip past her guard in relief.

"Thank you Sakura," she murmured.

"Certainly, when she wakes I'll come talk with her, I'd watch her myself but…" Sakura trailed off.

"Thansks Sakura, we'll see you for dinner still, right?" Naruto asked her. Hinata sagged then, her hand fisting on Naruto's sweatshirt as she leaned on him. the relief of hearing Tenten was alright, and so was the baby, was so powerful her knees gave out then.

"Hinata!" Sakura shouted as Naruto and she fell.

"I'm just… I'm so relieved!' she sobbed then, her hand tightened it's hold on Naruto as she hid her face in his shoulder. She didn't hear what was whispered between Naruto and Sakura, just that they were talking.

"I'll go now," Sakura murmured and touched her shoulder, Hinata tearily looked to the pinkette who smiled softly. "She's a fighter," was all Sakura said and then she was gone.

"I'm sorry for crying…" Hinata whispered after a few minutes, Naruto hadn't let her go as his chin rested atop her head.

"Don't worry about it," he mumbled.

"Thank you, I'm… I'm going to go talk to father about getting a watch for Tenten," Hinata mumbled as she pulled away from him.

"Kay, I'll watch her," Naruto volunteered.

"Thank you," she whispered as she stood up on shaky legs and unsteadily made her way towards her father's study.

* * *

Naruto was ready to go to Sakura's for dinner a few hours after the crisis. Hinata had said she'd go with him after her father had told her to go and that he'd watch Tenten personally which was why he was walking with her now. She was worrying her lower lip, he knew she was upset about Tenten but he didn't know how to distract her from that fear when he was feeling it himself.

"Tenten will be alright," he stated firmly. "Sakura wouldn't have left if she didn't believe that."

"Mmhmm," Hinata hummed absently.

"You don't have to come with me if you don't want to," he proposed quickly. He knew she was uncertain about Tenten but he didn't know of anything to say to her that would make her feel better.

"N-No, I want to come…" she stammered and he saw her peek at him before turning a little pink and looking away from him.

"Alright," he decided because he didn't really want to go to this dinner alone. He actually was nervous about being around Sasuke again for something other than a yelling. He hadn't even thought about what he was going to say and it was making him nervous as they walked to Sakura's apartment. He knocked on the door when they arrived, no answer.

Now he started pounding on the door, it was yanked open and he stared at the dual colored eyes of the Uchiha who was glaring at him.

"Hey!" he grinned nervously as he felt his nerves start again.

"No." Sasuke snapped as he slammed the door shut. His jaw dropped in disbelief and a bit of anger as he then pounded on the door.

"TEME!" he roared. His fist was suddenly caught in a small hand.

"I invited you to dinner, Naruto, I did not ask you to break my door," Sakura yawned.

"Hey Sakura," he greeted as she stepped aside and let him in. Hinata followed, the girls were quietly talking at the door and he sneaked into the delicious smelling kitchen. His stomach and Kurama rumbled in hunger at the scent of the frying pork, the cooking rice and the vegetables. The hunger growled again as he tried to sneak a bite.

A sharp pain rapped his knuckles which had him leaping back.

"OW!" he yelped in reaction then glared at his friend's dark glare.

"No." Sasuke snapped.

"What is that!? Your new favorite word!?" he shouted at the glaring asshole who just looked back at the stove. "And I'm starving!" he whined as his stomach growled as reinforcing the fact.

"No, and Out," Sasuke growled. He pouted as he walked out of the kitchenette of Sakura's apartment, he was only leaving because there was something in Sasuke's eyes which had him uncertain. Even Kurama's fur was up as he growled in reaction at that look in Sasuke's eye. He was startled when Sakura slipped around him into her kitchenette.

There was no chance for them to react when she touched Sasuke's shoulder the teme grabbed her throat before any of them could move.

"Sasuke!" "Teme!" "Sakura!" he heard three voices call out to Sasuke. Naruto drew his fist back, he saw Hinata standing in a defensive stance from the corner of his eye and he prepeared to lunge. Suddenly Sasuke yanked away from Sakura, Sakura gasped as she grabbed the counter but Naruto's eyes were trained on his best friend. Sasuke was really pale, and he seemed to be trembling, then he was hurrying away from them.

He reached out to grab Sasuke to punch him for breaking their deal when a hand grabbed his wrist.

"Naruto! Enough," she hissed. He was startled at the look in her eyes. "Give me a minute with Sasuke," she sighed as if answering his silent demand for an explaination. "Hinata, mind looking over the cooking?"

"N-No," Hinata squeaked, she looked just as shaken up as he felt as Sakura walked over to a chest, then she disappeared down the small hall after Sasuke. He was so confused by this, baffled, confounded and stupidfied all described how he was feeling as he looked over to a startle Hinata who was shakily moving over to the stove. Sakura reappeared then.

"What the hell Sakura!?" he hissed when she stood infront of him, he was shaking in rage at what had happened between her and Sasuke, and he was working to keep his voice down so he wasn't shouting. But Kami did he ever want to go kill the teme and shake Sakura for saying everything was alright when it clearly wasn't. Glaring at her he was startled when she held her hand up.

"The short of the long of this is simple Naruto. Sasuke's injured, but this is an injury of the mind, sometimes he's trapped in his own mind and he lashes out when he's trapped, stressed, scared or overwhelmed. He is sick and he needs help Naruto, if you can't accept this as a part of him now, I'm going to ask you to leave for his sake. Right now, he's not well, and if you want to help him you need to accept him," Sakura stated.

He was silent then as he stared at his feet.

Stay or go.

Those were his options. Part of him wanted to stay, after all Sasuke was his best friend and he hadn't seen him since their last fight. But another part, the part of him which had been infuriated at Sakura being harmed by Sasuke wanted to leave before he could kill his best friend. A tremor shook his body as his mind whirled around in confusion. It was a soft voice which grabbed his attention after heavy moments of silence.

"N-No, Sakura," Hinata spoke up then, dragging him out of his thoughts and looking over to the pearl eyed girl who was looking at him. "We'd like to stay… if that's alright, Naruto."

"Uh…" he looked at Sakura and then Hinata.

"It'll be good for both you and Sasuke," Hinata mumbled.

"Alright, I'll take over the cooking, Hinata," Sakura said as she walked past him and Hinata walked over to him. Glancing down at her he looked at his feet.

"Thanks, Hinata," he mumbled.

"Hm?" she looked up at him and he felt his face heat as they walked over and sat down at the table not repeating what he had said because he wasn't certain if they should stay or go, but he was relieved because the decision was taken from him.

"Never mind," he mumbled.

"Oh," she mumbled. "Okay," she whispered as she sat at the end of the table.

* * *

Hinata was baffled by how normal Sakura was acting as they ate, like she hadn't almost been strangled by Sasuke. But she had Naruto laughing and smiling quick enough as they chatted about funny training stories, she had even laughed when Naruto would bring up a few of his own recent 'fails' as he dubbed them. She was glad they had stayed, she was happy that she had done something for Naruto until he tensed. She jumped in her seat when Sasuke appeared at the empty seat and accept a plate. Sakura was talking softly to Sasuke so they couldn't hear which had Naruto leaning over to her.

"Is this weird?" he asked in a hush tone. She shrugged, she didn't know what to think as Sakura smiled.

"Naruto, how goes your current training with Hinata?" Sakura asked suddenly which had her and Naruto jumping in shock, she stared at the pinkette who smiled a bit.

"Good…" Naruto hesitantly answered.

"How do you like training with Hinata?" Sakura pestered.

"It's awesome," Naruto declared. She relaxed a bit as she joined the conversation, she giggled when Naruto told the story of his failed attempt to create a shadow clone.

"Hey, when we start training together can Hinata join us!? She's a really awesome teacher!" Naruto declared. A yelp escaped her when warmth splattered her face as she jumped back. There was a broken plate when she got over her shock.

"What the hell happened!?" Naruto shouted. Hinata looked over at him and noticed that there was splattered food everywhere on everyone but not on Sasuke.

"Damn Rinnegan," Sasuke snarled.

"I-I got it," she mumbled as she stood to get another plate for him.

There was a giggle, she glanced over at Sakura who was giggling, she snickered a bit and then Naruto was snickering before the three of them were laughing. It was so funny for some reason she couldn't stop laughing even as she handed Sasuke another plate of food. The rest of meal was taken in good nature and in laughter as they chatted and enjoyed the meal.

Naruto and she were walking home though when Naruto seemed to completely relax with a sigh.

"Hey, Hinata?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks for coming with me to dinner, I don't know if I could've come all on my own," he said softly and she stopped as she stared at him with wide eyes. Her heart stuttered a bit as she stared at those clear blue eyes.

"Of course," she replied gently, and his eyes teared up as he nodded and grinned, she smiled gently as they walked together in silence. She was so happy that she had been there for him in a way he clearly hadn't known he needed. She smiled slightly in her private joy of having helped him.

* * *

 **Alright, I'm going to be honest with you and say the letter before was not a lie, but rather I'm not always in a happy mood to write the other stories; because face it, most of them are pretty fluffy and light. Which means that I will occasionally grace one of five UtDI... Stories with a chapter. But don't get your hopes up that this will be regular until September.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	12. Part 1: Chapter 12

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 12**

It had been a few days since the dinner with Sakura and Sasuke and since then Naruto had been off. She could tell, but she didn't know how to talk to him about whatever was clearly bothering him. Hinata desperately wanted to talk to him about what was bothering him, for it was clearly weighing heavily on him. But for whatever reason she didn't know how to approach the topic with him. Which was why she was training with him right at this moment and trying not to hurt him.

She dodged his sloppy swing and came up with an open palm to hit his solar plexus only to waver for a moment as she was kicked off balance and hit the grass with a huff.

"Sorry!" Naruto said as he helped her up.

"No, it's alright, we're sparring." It was a simple truth and he had landed as many blows on her as she had on him, but they weren't serious. Bruise worthy but not serious.

"No, it's not alright!" Naruto snapped as he pulled away from her to start pacing around like a caged animal. Hinata looked at the ground as she clasped her hands together and carefully picked her next words to try to talk to him about what's bothering him.

"Naruto, what's bothering you?" she asked, he spun around with wild blue eyes then.

"Huh?" he blinked.

"You've seemed… troubled since the dinner," she murmured as she looked up to him, he growled as he shoved his fingers through his already messy blonde hair and paced a bit more before he looked at her.

"I don't know what to do!" he finally shouted.

"Do about what?" she asked, she was a little confused by this attitude of his and the confusion he was displaying.

"About Sasuke!" he huffed out.

"Oh…" she blinked and she looked at him again then.

"I don't know what to do, I just… I want my friend back," he sighed as his body suddenly when lax again and he looked at her with miserable blue eyes. "I just want my best friend back, Hinata. He's back but he's not here, he's not back. This isn't Sasuke, he's just… he's not the same," he punched a tree then.

"Naruto, he's not going to be the same," she murmured which had him looking down at the ground. She reached over to him as she gently touched his shoulder.

There were two things she figured she could say right now. The first would be what he wanted to hear, what would sooth him, what would make him feel better, and what would be easy to say. Or she could say what was needed to be said, which would be anything but easy to say, and something he wouldn't want to hear. Biting her lip she hesitantly smiled at him when he looked at her finally.

"None of us are the same Naruto, and Sasuke has never been normal, he's even worse now. I believe he will need your friendship, but more than that he will need your patience. Patience for while he heals, I do not think he wants to lose you as a friend after all you've done for him and I think that if you do not stick with him as a friend now, you will come to regret it. He needs a friend Naruto, and you've always been his friend," she assured him softly.

"That's not Sasuke though!" Naruto spat out as he pulled away from her, Hinata grabbed his hand before he completely pulled away from her then, he looked back at her.

"You know, he was my first friend with Sakura, ever. There were no tricks, no strings, or anything, they were my first friends, ever, and it was like… it was like having a family," he said with wet eyes. "I had never had a family before them and they looked out for me, pushed me, protected me, and cared about me. No one had ever cared about me before, and they did. Sakura's… Sakura's always been like my sister, she loves me like I'm her brother and she used to help me out with training. And Sasuke, well, he was like a brother I had never had, and he was a friend too. My best friend," Naruto explained to her. "I just… I just want my best friend back," Naruto said as he pulled his hand away from her to wipe the tears away from his cheeks then. She sighed then and looked at him, he looked like a lost child, she didn't know if there was anything she could ever say to him or do for him to make him feel alright about this situation right now.

"Give it time, Naruto," she murmured. He looked at her again with a few tears slipping his guard. "He's not alright right now, but I think that if you have patience you'll have your best friend back. Besides, friends come and go, family sticks around for forever," she pointed out gently. At least that's what she had noticed with her family, even when they hurt each other they stayed together.

"I guess you're right," he muttered as he wiped his tears away.

"It'll be alright, besides, I doubt Sakura would ever let Sasuke hurt her so I wouldn't worry about Sakura," she murmured.

"It just hurts, you know," he muttered.

"Yes, I know," she assured him and he sat on the ground then, she joined him. Tears slipped past her guard with him as they both sat in the grass. She was still hurting from everything that had happened in the war as they sat there in the sun and in silence. Naruto didn't say much to her, he was in his own pain as they sat there in silence. She tucked a few strands of stray hair dancing on the breeze behind her ear then.

"Thanks Hinata," Naruto mumbled which had her looking over to him through the tears.

"Of course," she smiled slightly then. He gave her a grin as well as he sniffled and wiped his face of the tears again.

"You know, you're pretty helpful," he muffled out in his sleeve.

A gasp escaped her as she looked at the ground, the blooming heat on her face and her heart pounding so loudly in her chest made her feel happy. However, his words had her tongue being tied in knots and her throat tightening so she could speak. A slight smile tugged on her lips as she nodded in response to him as he stood up and offered her a hand which she took.

"Alright, again," Naruto declared. She fell into her fighting stance again and they started training again.

* * *

It was at around the lunch hour when Hinata said she was done for the day. He didn't argue, mostly because Kurama and his stomach growled for something to eat which had had him suggesting Ichiraku's for lunch. Hinata had agreed and they were walking in companionable silence to Ichiraku's.

He was thinking over what she had said this morning at training, 'friends come and go but family sticks around for forever'. The words were ringing in his ears and they seemed to be lifting a heavy weight off his chest, a weight he hadn't even noticed pinning him down and suffocating him. It was as if her words had lifted a stone slab off his chest which had had him drowning in painful memories and broken wishes, and he hadn't even noticed the weight being lifted until it was gone.

Which had Kurama pointing out that not even Sakura could have put it better, Naruto just smirked and nodded. Kurama seemed to have a soft spot for Hinata, which was fine because he also had a soft spot for her. He kind of like people like Hinata, he thought they were inspiring.

"What do you want to eat?" Naruto asked Hinata when they arrived at Ichiraku's, he had his order placed already and noticed Hinata was staring off into space then.

"Huh…? Oh! Um… the normal?" she jumped then looked around as she answered.

"Alright, thanks Teuchi!" Naruto grinned.

"No problem Naruto," the shop own smiled as he started cooking. Naruto went back to thinking about what Sakura and Hinata had said to him and wondered how he was going to get his best friend back.

"Naruto!" a high pitched squeal ripped him out of his thoughts as he looked around. There were two girls jogging to him with huge smile.

"Hi," he greeted as he turned in his seat.

"Wow! He's so cool!" the short hair cap wearing girl giggled to her long haired companion which had him confused. Him? Cool? Since when had that happened? Girls always called him annoying. Kurama was snarling at the girls, but Naruto ignored the fox.

"Do I... uh… know you?" he asked them. The girls giggled some more, he furrowed his brow in confusion as to what was going on here.

"I'm Akane," the long haired one introduced. "And this is Kaede," Akane giggled as she introduced her capped companion who giggle in unison.

"So… you like, you totally saved the world! So you're like totally cool!" Kaede announced as she blushed.

"Uh, no. I had Sasuke's help," Naruto reminded them. Sasuke had come with him to the end, and even if they had tried to kill each other afterwards they had fought the world saving battle together. And to get to that battle Kakashi, Sakura and Obito had helped them, he had regretted leaving them behind but Sasuke had been right; it wasn't their fight.

"Oh, but you like, saved the world! And that traitor like, didn't do, like anything. I was told you like, single handedly like, saved the world," Akane giggled which had his eyes narrowing on her in his rage. Even Kurama was outraged with these girls; and Kurama did not like any Uchiha for valid reasons, however he was snapping and snarling about the insult dealt to Sasuke. It was one thing to insult Madara but Naruto would not tolerate his friend being insulted and called a traitor when he had saved the world!

"Sasuke's not a traitor!" Naruto spat out as he surged off his stool. The girls yelped as he glared at them. "He was there until the end and he saved my life! Uchiha Sasuke helped saved the world! He's not a traitor!"

"Naruto," Hinata touched his shoulder and he turned his glare on her, she didn't pull away from him as the other two girls moved away from him then they were running up the street.

"I can't believe that!" he shouted as he took his seat at Ichiraku's again. He was furious, he was hurting and he was outraged. Sasuke had saved the world with him and yet people were still calling him a traitor.

"People do not forgive and forget, Naruto," Hinata said softly which had him looking over to her.

"They do when you save the village," he spat out and she sighed. He would know though, he had once been 'that kid' or 'evil child' until he had saved the village from Pain. Then everyone had wanted to be his friend, have his autograph, or something and though he hadn't thought himself to be disgusted with their turn around behavior towards him he had learnt that he had been. He had been thoroughly disgusted with it as he confronted his inner demons when he had been learning to tame Kurama.

"Naruto, Sasuke betrayed the village, he attacked Killer B, he worked with and for Orochimaru, he joined the Akatsuki, he attacked the Kage at the Kage summit, he killed Danzo, he tried to kill us. He will not be forgiven just because he saved the world," Hinata pointed out.

Her words hit his heart and had him starting into those pearl colored eyes.

"You haven't even completely forgiven him either, so do not be outraged when others cannot forgive him either," she continued which had his jaw dropping.

"What do you mean!? Of course I forgave Sasuke!" he argued. He had forgiven his best friend for every wrong he had ever committed when he had shown up in the thick of battle with the Hokage to save their asses. Sasuke had shown he had truly changed by even bothering to show up! Of course he had forgiven Sasuke.

"Did you Naruto? Did you really forgive him completely?" Hinata asked him in a quiet skeptical tone which had him glaring at her slightly as he felt something waver in his resolve while he stared into her eyes. "Earlier this week he attacked Sakura, and the entire dinner you watched him like he was a rabid animal. You haven't gone back to see him or Sakura since then, and I know because I've been with you ever since that night. And I know you're trying, trying to accept who he is now and trying to get your best friend back, Naruto, but have you truly forgiven him. You haven't even gone to see him."

"Sakura said to stay away," Naruto argued. She had asked him to give Sasuke space.

"No she didn't, and I know because I was there as well Naruto." Every word she said was in her gentle, soft voice but every word she had to say to him was like a knife to his heart as he stared at her. "You need to forgive him, completely, before your become outraged with other people's perception of him."

"I have forgiven him!" Naruto argued. He had, hadn't he?

She said nothing to him but thanked Teuchi as they were served their ramen then. He thanked the shop owner as well as he looked at the noodles he had lost his appetite for.

Hinata's words were churning his gut in heavy greasy, they were twisting and jabbing at his heart, and had his head throbbing as they rang in his ears while he thought about what she had said while struggling to eat. He had forgiven the teme.

He had.

He had forgiven Sasuke for everything.

Hadn't he?

* * *

 **I've had a really long few days, and they're only getting longer with my move.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	13. Part 1: Chapter 13

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 13**

Naruto found himself wondering about his forgiveness towards Sasuke a lot over the course of the next week when he was left to his own devices.

But between figuring out how to be one armed and being the Hokage's assistant he found it to be a difficult task to dwell on if he had or hadn't forgiven Sasuke for everything that had happened over the past five years.

A part of him argued that of course he had forgiven the teme, how could he not when Sasuke was still his best friend, even after all these years. However even he was coming to understand a few things about himself and he wondered when he could go talk to someone about the things he had figured out. he'd probably go speak to Sakura, after all, she was usually the one he went to, to discuss all things concerning Sasuke. It had been that way since the teme had left them, though he felt like Sakura was keeping something from him in reguards to Sasuke's leaving the first time. But he wasn't going to pry.

Then there was the other part of himself, the small, snide, selfish part of him which Kurama had once fed off of which continuously told him that he hadn't forgiven Sasuke just yet. And would even list out all of Sasuke's crimes chronologically to remind him why he shouldn't forgive Sasuke. It was tearing him up honestly, he didn't want to think he hadn't forgiven Sasuke but there was a part of him that was beginning to think that perhaps he hadn't, that maybe Hinata was right.

Which brought him to today as he sat in the Hokage's office with Kakashi working on a few papers; he was struggling to read them because they were boring. If it wasn't interesting it didn't have his attention, he had been this way since he had been a small boy on his own. Reading was hard for him because it just wasn't interesting, and it appeared that he was going to have to figure out how to stay engaged with the reading part of being Hokage.

And that's why he was rubbing his eyes and stifling a yawn when the door was thrown open.

"Lady Tsunade demands your help now Sixth Hokage!" Shizune shouted, which had his head snapping to the door as Kakashi lazily looked up from the paperwork.

"Huh?"

"There's been an incident with Sakura and Sasuke, we need your help handling Sasuke!" Shizune shouted as she started running off. Kakashi and he looked at one another and then they bolted out of the room as they raced towards the hospital.

Naruto's heart was pounding as fear and dread filled him, he was terrified to learn that something had happened and couldn't stay behind as he raced ahead of Kakahsi and burst into the hospital to hear the shouting of Tsunade and Sasuke. Naruto took the stairs then as he clambered up with Kakashi a step behind him.

* * *

Hinata found herself enjoying her afternoon as she giggled at the exasperating stories of Kiba and Shino's quiet wisecracks. It was a good afternoon for Team 8 as they ate their first Team lunch together since before the war.

"So when is Kurenai coming?" Kiba asked her as the ate their barbeque.

"She might not come, she's busy with Mirai and Mirai's only a few months old," she reminded Kiba gently.

"We should visit her," Shino suddenly declared.

"Yeah! That's a great idea!" Kiba agreed, Akamaru barked in agreement and she smiled at their glee of the decision. She suspected that Shino had had a bit of a crush on Kurenai also when they had been children but now she was relatively certain Shino had a thing for Hana. Not that Kiba would be happy to hear that, Hana was his sister and no doubt he wouldn't like the thought of his best friend liking his sister.

"She'd like that," Hinata mused. She suspected that Kurenai found herself to be the most cared for woman in the entire village, and Mirai definitely had a whole slew of 'aunts' and 'uncles' as Ino had declared them.

"I bet Mirai's just as cute a pup!" Kiba grinned, she giggled.

"Maggot," Shino decided.

"Ew, maggots aren't cute! And babies are cute!" Kiba shouted.

"Now now," Hinata said as she tried to intervene but it didn't slow those two when she looked out the window of the restaurant and gaped at the sight of Kakashi and Naruto running full speed past the window, shaking the glass of the new structure.

"Um…" she stood up and walked to the door as she looked out at the street to see the dust of where they had gone. They were in a really big hurry, and she wondered what it was as her Byakugan pulsed to life then and she watched them. She gasped.

"I have to go," she said as she pulled out her share of the bill.

"What? But you just…" Kiba started.

"I'm sorry, it's important Kiba," she said simply as she then ran out of the restaurant as she leapt up towards the new telephone poles and brought her Byakugan alive again. She stared with wide eyes at the sight, Sasuke was fighting Tsunade, she started running towards the hospital then and watched the scene unfold as she saw Kakashi and Naruto drag Sasuke away, Sakura's chakra was flickering but there and strong, and she raced for the hospital.

Ignoring the shouts of the construction workers she landed on the road as she ran after Naruto before something bad could happen between him and Sasuke which would fully break their relationship. Hinata was a step behind Temari then and she slowed as she watched the blonde go up the stories to floor where Naruto and Kakashi were, Kakashi appeared to have subdued Sasuke. Hinata decided to wait for Naruto then, if Temari was involved then this was possibly a big incident, and she didn't want to make it worse for them right now.

"Excuse me miss, but no one is allowed up there unless you're immediate family," a nurse informed her.

"Huh? Oh, no, I'm waiting," Hinata mumbled as she walked away from the stairs and to the waiting room.

* * *

He and Kakashi managed to drag the un-talkative, growling, snarling teme off of Tsunade and Sakura and into the hall. It had taken a fight but now Kakashi was literally chained to Sasuke who was glaring at them both as they heaved for breath after the battle it had been just to get the teme out of the room and away from the bloodied, unconscious Sakura.

Now Naruto found himself shaking with rage as he glared at Sasuke who was still trying to get out of the handcuff he had with Kakahsi at this moment. What he had just seen was enough to have him wanting to rip Sasuke apart, Sakura had been in that room, bleeding, and unresponsive as Tsunade, he and Kakashi had all literally dragged Sasuke away from her. Just what the hell had Sasuke done to her!?

" _ **What Did You Do Teme!?**_ " Naruto finally shouted as he lost his temper then. Sasuke's head snapped up and he glared at him with a red eye and a Rinnegan.

" _ **Nothing!**_ " Sauske snapped. Naruto was about to lunge for Sasuke and strangle him. even Kurama was bristling up in anger as he glared at Sasuke. Kakashi seemed a little winded at the moment and Naruto knew his former teacher wasn't going to be any help at this moment.

" _ **I Can't Believe You Hurt Her!**_ _ **Again!**_ " he roared. " _ **I'm Going To Kill You!**_ " Naruto finally warned as he lunged for Sasuke when a voice stopped him.

"He didn't hurt her Naruto!" he spun around to see the blonde then, Temari.

"He didn't?" Naruto spat out in disbelief. He had just seen Sakura in there bleeding and the teme had fought them the entire time.

"No, he didn't," Temari assured him as she approached them. "Now would you mind if I had a word in private with the Hokage?"

Naruto hesitated when he looked to Kakahsi and then glared at Sasuke.

"I'll come by and tell you if there's any change with Sakura," Kakashi said calmly, he nodded before he stalked off. He really wanted to kill the teme for this, but now he wasn't too certain. He didn't think of Temari as a liar but he didn't know right now as he managed to make it down to the lobby of the hospital.

"Naruto?" a soft voice called him and he looked over his shoulder to Hinata then.

"Hey Hinata," he greeted, he was trying to calm himself but he was trembling with rage and he felt his claws digging in and drawing blood from the palms of his hands then.

"What happened to Sakura?" Hinata asked, and he relaxed when he felt her touch his shoulder. It felt as if the anger and rage he had been trying to calm dissipated then as he sagged under her touch.

* * *

"I don't know," Naruto mumbled and Hinata sighed as she gently pulled him into her and hugged him. He looked like he could use a hug, and though she was not much of a hugger, she was going to hug Naruto to remind him that he wasn't alone at this moment. She felt his arm wrap around her waist as he sagged against her and just held on tightly. Hinata let him, it felt right to let him.

"It's going to be alright," she murmured in his ear as she gingerly stroked his hair.

"I don't know," he mumbled.

"Come on, let's go back to the Hyūga compound," she hummed gently as they started walking out of the hospital. She didn't know what was bothering him, or what he had seen but she knew what she had seen and she didn't think it would be good for Naruto. She knew she had been trembling at the sight of him and Kakashi dragging Sasuke out of the room away from Tsunade and Sakura, she could only imagine what that had done to Naruto.

"I don't… I don't know if I can handle him," Naruto finally admitted when he stopped walking. She turned to him and looked him over carefully, he was staring at the ground as he shoved his hand into his pocket then.

"What happened?" she asked him softly as she walked over to him.

"I don't know, that's it! I don't know! One second I'm reading a boring document about a D mission for genin and then Shizune is saying that there's been an incident with Sasuke and Sakura, when we get to the hospital Tsunade and Sasuke are fighting and we had to drag him out of the room and Sakura's bleeding and unconscious! I don't know what happened!" Naruto said through clenched teeth as he started pacing.

"Oh," was all she could say because she still didn't really know what had happened.

"I don't… I know if I can handle him, right now," Naruto finally sighed as he sagged in defeat and stopped his pacing. Hinata hesitated as she reached over to him and touched his shoulder again. Miserable blue eyes were turned her way then and she bit her lip as she carefully thought her next words over again.

"I don't know what's right for you and Sasuke right now, but…" she started and looked him in the eye then as she steeled her resolve in what she was saying. "I think you need to do what is right for you at this moment to heal. Maybe later, not right now, you and Sasuke could be friends again, but right now, I think… I think you need to do what's right for you Naruto. It's not wrong, it's not right, but it is what it is right now," she said gently.

"I just… I don't know," he sighed in frustration.

"That's alright too," she assured him and they resumed walking home in companionable silence then.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	14. Part 1: Chapter 14

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 14**

Thinking about his forgiveness or not forgiveness was giving him enough of a head ache that a few days after the incident he decided he'd go see how Sakura was doing since Kakashi had told him that he was going to start training Sasuke in the mornings.

In fact, as Naruto sat perched on a telephone pole he saw Sasuke leave with Kakashi, it didn't look like this was a good morning for anyone as Naruto sat there thinking about what he wanted to say to Sakura and how to put this so he didn't hurt her like the teme. As clueless as he could be, he actually tried not to purposely hurt Sakura's feelings. Though there had been a few spats between them which had had them trying to kill one another, but that was all in the past.

He was also sitting on this telephone pole to avoid the weird girls who were starting to follow him around the village; that was a little creepy in his mind. And he'd traveled with pervy sage! It was when another materialized beside him that he was startled from his thoughts.

"Are you here to see how Ugly is doing as well?" the toneless voice asked him as he jumped out of his skin and looked down at Sai.

"Uh… yeah," he lied. He hadn't initially been here to check on Sakura, she was doing fine according to Kakashi who had told him she had been discharged with minor injuries and was on easy days for a few days. That's also a part of why Kakashi had decided to train with Sasuke and Naruto was to train with Hinata in the morning and work with Kakashi in the afternoons.

"Come on then, you've been sitting here for quite a while, if Ugly saw you here she'd think you were a peeping tom," Sai smiled, and Naruto balked.

"Me!? What about you!?" he roared as they leapt down to the ground. He stumbled a little, off balance.

"Ugly knows she's not my type," Sai replied listlessly which had Naruto growling as he wanted to slug his friend then. He knocked on the door as he glared at Sai.

"She's not my type either," he snapped back haughtly. Of this he wasn't entirely certain, but hey, he was seventeen. The door opened and he couldn't stop the grin from blooming at the sight of her as she opened the door. "Hey Sakura!"

She smiled. "Hey Naruto."

"Morning Ugly," Sai greeted her.

"Morning Sai, I was making coffee, so come on in and join me for breakfast," she said as she opened the door. Breakfast!? Perfect! Even Kurama was rumbling in anticipation as they all got plates. Granted it was Sakura's cooking; and that was questionable in and of itself; but he was so hungry he'd eat the bugs again and be happy.

"How is your hard head, Ugly?" Sai asked as they sat.

"It's still attached," she replied blandly. "What's bothering you Naruto?" she demanded and he gulped as he now had green and ink staring at him and he tried to wave it off; he didn't know how to put what he wanted to say, even with Hinata's help of letting him rant last night.

"Nothing!" he quipped quickly.

"Uh-huh, bullshit Naruto, what's the matter?" Sakura coaxed and he felt himself faltering, he ignored Sai for a moment and just looked at the pinkette sitting there with him.

"I…" he started, and looked down at his plate suddenly not feeling very hungry, he felt rather green instead and then he looked at Sakura again. "IdontthinkIcanhandleSasukerightnow," he blurted out.

"What?" Sakura asked, he knew it wasn't from what he had said but rather how he had said it and he took a deep breath to calm himself before retrying to say what he wanted to say.

"I don't think I can handle Sasuke right now," he admitted miserably and in a hushed whisper which had even Sai quiet. He didn't dare to look at Sakura right now, he didn't want to see the disappointment that was there no doubt and he just stared at the plate of food. His left hand trembled a bit though.

"Oh," Sakura replied. Suddenly a slight hand was holding his and he looked up to see her smiling. "That's alright," she assured him. "Sasuke's difficult to be around, he's hard to get through to, and he's not all here and sometimes he lashes out, so I get it Naruto. And thank you for being honest about it."

"Y-You're not… not upset about it?" he questioned as he watched her ever feature closely for a hint as to what was going on behind her smile.

"Not at all, I get it. But please tell me that you still want to start training with him in two weeks like we arranged," she pleaded. He looked at his plate and thought carefully about it. Two weeks might be enough time, enough time to figure out what the hell was going on in his mind and to figure out where he was at this moment.

"I still… I want to be his friend, Sakura," he promised. "I just… I don't, I…" he was at a loss and she squeezed his hand then.

"That's fine Naruto, I get it, I really do get it," she reassured him and he nodded dumbly.

"Can we try Team 7 training again though in two weeks?" he asked her.

"Certainly," she nodded.

"May I join?" Sai asked then and that reminded him of their other teammate.

"Certainly Sai, but can you start two weeks after Naruto does? I don't want to overwhelm Sasuke," Sakura said and he ignored their conversation as he silently thought about training as Team 7 again and what that could mean. It could be just like the good old days, before Sasuke went mad with hatred and ran off to be a rogue ninja.

But he didn't know exactly what to expect and they started laughing as they talked about their old training days with Sasuke because Sai asked.

* * *

This morning her father had called the Hyūga guard together because of the incident with Sasuke in town, she didn't quite know all the details about what had happened but the gist of it was pretty clear to her as she sat on her father's right and Hanabi sat on his right. Hinata didn't know what was about to happen, once she had been disowned she had never attended the meetings her father called unless they were Clan meetings, and even then she sat on the fringes of the crowd looking in. Neji was usually beside her then and would shove her into the crowd with him saying she was the daughter of the Head of the Clan and she should be closer, even if she was disowned.

But today was the first time she had ever attended the Clan meeting and sat here, it was making her a little nervous as she looked at the eight Hyūga who were assigned to escorting the foreign village diplomats, and guarding the Uchiha as he healed.

"It has been brought to my attention that you have been neglecting your duties for the posts which I assigned you to, dishonoring the Hyūga name and honor," Hiashi stated harshly and even she flinched at the fierceness of her father's scowl.

"Sir, we did not think the situation needed intervening, Haruno Sakura had been handling him," one of her relatives protested, she winced at the glare they received, it was so baleful and furious that even he shrank from her father. Hinata worked hard to remain still and not tremble.

"The situation got Haruno Sakura stabbed and has riled the villagers up considerably," Hiashi said firmly. "Clearly the situation called for action."

"Sir, we did not mean for situation to get so wildly out of control," a different relative started but Hinata knew he fell silent when her father looked at him.

"As punishment you eight are to be the sparring partners of my eldest for the next year, and make no mistake, she will not be going easy on you in the slightest. She had grown into the fiercest Hyūga of her generation and has mastered the Gentle Fist technique, you will all learn from her and for a year you are of her charge," Hiashi said firmly.

Hinata paled at every word that was spoken because she knew these relatives of hers' to be just as versed in the Gentle Fist technique and until before the war she was considered inferior to them in every way. This was humiliating to them, but it was mortifying to her because she didn't know what she was going to be doing with them as she sat there trembling.

"Is this understood?" Hiashi demanded of them.

"Yes," they bowed to her lowly as they left her and she looked at her lap.

"Hinata, you are now my heir again, you will not disappoint me with their progress," Hiashi said as he stood.

"Yes father," she whispered and before she knew it she was lone. She shakily stood to her feet as she walked the halls of her family home, she heard the whispers of the humiliated eight and hurried away before they noticed her. Hinata ducked into a room before she was seen by some of her walking clansmen; the Byakugan was not always active and when it wasn't active everyone's sight was normal. With that in mind she firmly shut the door behind her as she trembled.

"Oh, Hinata," she looked up to the futon and saw Tenten there then.

"Tenten!" she gasped. "H-How are you feeling?" she asked softly as she walked over to the older girl who was sitting there looking a little lost and a little better. Hinata felt a little guilty that she hadn't seen Tenten conscious since the miscarriage scare which had had the older girl in hysterics a few weeks ago.

"I feel…" Tenten sighed. "I feel numb, I keep waiting for him to show up, scold me, chide me for being childish or for stealing his clothing. I miss him," Tenten admitted miserably. Hinata nodded as she sat beside Tenten. "But… she's still here, and I'm not giving up," Tenten said determinedly as she rubbed her stomach.

Hinata could see the slight roundness of the pregnancy coming.

"She?" Hinata asked.

"Every time I picture out baby I picture a daughter, I think Neji would have liked having a daughter," Tenten sighed wistfully and Hinata smiled a little at her friend's words. Neji would have loved a daughter, he might have not been verbal about it and he might have complained a little, but she knew he'd have loved a daughter.

"He'd have loved having a daughter," Hinata agreed softly. The door slid open then having both the girls look up at who was coming in.

"Hey Tenten! Hey Hinata!" Naruto grinned, she smiled slightly seeing his orange frog eyes. "Hinata, mind going and training with me?"

"No, I'm coming," she replied and he left her with Tenten then. "I'll try to visit you more often," she promised.

"No, don't force yourself…" Tenten started and Hinata clasped the older girl's hand then.

"I want to," Hintat said firmly and then she stood up and left Tenten alone as she jogged after Naruto.

"How was breakfast with Sakura?" she asked as they started walking.

"It turned out to be a Team 7 breakfast, but it was… it was good," he admitted. "I told her."

"How'd she take it?" Hinata asked. She knew this had been tearing him up for the past few days, but she also knew he needed time to think about the situation and what was going on and what was going on with himself.

"She was… alright with it," Naruto admitted reluctantly.

"She'll be fine Naruto," Hinata assured him. They walked in companionable silence then and she just reveled in having his company.

"Thanks Hinata," he finally murmured when they reached their training field.

"Huh?" she looked at him in confusion.

"For not giving up on me," he muttered softly and she just wondered where this had come from as they started sparring again.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	15. Part 1: Chapter 15

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 15**

Naruto didn't know when it happened, he didn't know how it happened but somehow after telling Sakura that he couldn't handle Sasuke he felt like a petty child wanting attention again. He'd seen Sakura in the market, but despite his desire to see her again he always found himself walking the opposite direction before she noticed him and he'd feel guilty again about the admittance he had made.

Admittedly it wasn't that bad really. He couldn't have been worse for wear, and he knew it as he found himself sitting on the Hyūga compound porch swinging his feet aimlessly.

It was his day off, and he was rapidly approaching the two week marker to be practicing with Sasuke and Sakura again. He wasn't entirely certain how he flet about this as he sat there dangling his feet and staring at the rainy day around him.

Had it really only been three months since the end of the war?

It was baffling to him, the village was almost fully rebuilt except for a few things like the Hokage office, a proper hospital, and downtown, but for the most part it was rebuilt and rebuilt even grander than before. However, all the old estates sat grandly around the outskirts of the village, sitting there daring people to move them or try it.

"Hey Naruto," a soft voice drew him from his thoughts as he looked over to Hinata who walked towards him in her off day clothes.

"Hey Hinata," he grinned and tried to be himself though he felt like he was failing miserably. He didn't know why he was so… hurting?... but he was and it was bothering him.

"You start training with Sasuke tomorrow," she smiled as she sat beside him. "Are you excited?"

"Uh…" he started and then sighed. "That's a loaded question," he admitted.

She nodded and they both sat there watching the rain as it fell.

"Can you believe it'll be August soon?" she chuckled and that had him stiffening.

Teme's birthday! It was the day after tomorrow if today was… crap! He had forgotten all about the teme's birthday! He was already a horrible friend and now he was and even worse friend for forgetting the teme's birthday! Fuck!

"Naruto!/" Hinata shrieked when he grabbed his head and grimaced.

"I forgot the teme's birthday!" Naruto grounded out as he fell back on the porch. "I'm the worst friend ever!"

"No you're not," Hinata giggled and he sighed as he looked at her.

"No, I am," he huffed out. "Sakura… Sakura warned me what he was like and I didn't listen to her and then when he got… challenging I ditched him and I avoid him too, now I forgot his birthday! I've got to be the worst friend in the history friends!"

"Calm down Naruto," she said evenly which had him staring at her. "We'll just plan something with Sakura tomorrow. I don't think he'd want something big, so it shouldn't be too hard."

Naruto thought about this and sighed, she was right, Sasuke didn't have too many friends as of now, and even fewer since his return.

* * *

Hinata didn't want to really worry about planning Sasuke's birthday at this moment, in fact she didn't want to think about the outside world at all as Naruto held her hand and they sat on the porch staring at the rain, she smiled when the moon shimmered through the clouds lightly. This was nice, it was… comfortable.

Naruto was beside her and he was silent for a change as he was lost in his own thoughts. She just squeezed his hand reassuringly. This was hard on him, she knew that, she knew it was really hard on him at this moment. It was all a part of post war life, she guessed; the picking yourself up and figuring out how to move on. She found herself struggling with post war life as well.

It was difficult to explain why this was, it just was. There were days she was so pained that she wanted to curl of and sob all day, and there were days she was so angry she needed to spar against Naruto for a release. But mostly… mostly she found herself feeling alone and she didn't like that feeling. She didn't like feeling alone in the center of a crowd, and feel that if she were to disappear no one would look for her. And before her father had reinstated her as his heir she had known that she could slip away and live a wonderful, ordinary life far away from the shinobi. However, now she found herself fearful to slip away without anyone noticing her.

Naruto would notice if she disappeared though; or at least, she hoped he would.

She knew she'd notice him the moment he disappeared.

Which was why they were enjoying the silence of the light rain of the evening together and Naruto held her hand; or she held his hand; it didn't matter which she had a feeling that for a minute they both needed one another again.

"Do you… do you ever wonder about if there had been no war?" Naruto whispered.

"Yes," she admitted softly. She thought about it all the time with Tenten being pregnant. And she found she couldn't stop thinking about that 'what if'.

"I think about it too," Naruto admitted. "But… I think this is our chance."

"Chance?" she chimed.

"Yeah, I think that this is our chance to end all wars, and take away the suffering," Naruto admitted. His fingers tightened on hers' and she smiled. "I think that this is what pervy sage was waiting for. I think that this is out true chance to save the world and have real, ever lasting peace."

"That would be nice," she admitted gently as she looked back to the moon. It'd be nice if the world were at peace, and shinobi didn't have to fight one another all the time. They really weren't all that different when one stopped and thought about it.

* * *

Thinking about Sasuke had made him think about finding peace rather than being consumed by hatred. Perhaps…

Perhaps now was the time to try for ever lasting peace like pervy sage had dreamt about, or what Nagato had dreamt of and longed for. Naruto wanted there to never be another war, he was done with hatred, and he wanted it gone. There was no need to hate, there wasn't.

Hatred lead to pain, and darkness, and suffering, and loss, and the list was endless. But he was tired of it, he was tired of all the pain and hatred. Now was the time to change the world, and he decided that starting tomorrow that's just what he was going to do.

Starting tomorrow was the clean slate for him and Sasuke.

For real this time.

He was not going to think about what Sasuke had done in the past, that had been the old Sasuke who wasn't here anymore. Naruto was going to start judging this Sasuke on his own merits. And even if he lashed out occasionally, Naruto was going to trust him not to kill someone that cared about him. A tall order, no doubt, but he had faith in this change. He didn't want to sit there and say he didn't believe in his friend when he believed in forgiveness and peace.

Naruto promised himself that starting tomorrow he was putting his best foot forward and he was going to focus on change. This world couldn't stay as it was, and he wasn't going to let it. He looked at the hand he was holding and tightened his hold on it. Sighing he let his head fall back against the wood of the porch and thought about this.

If he was turning over a new leaf then he was going to try his damnedest to be himself and he was going to stop being a shitty friend to Sasuke and Sakura. Yes, he really did feel like a shitty friend at the moment, before the war he'd have thought himself to be a great friend, but now… now he wasn't too certain as he stared at the rafters of the Hyūga main house.

"Tomorrow is a new start," he declared which had Hinata staring at him.

"What?" she asked.

"Tomorrow, nothing before tomorrow happens matters. Tomorrow we are starting over," Naruto said firmly. She chuckled a bit.

"That's silly Naruto," she mused.

"I'm serious!" he argued back as he sat up stared into those beautiful pearl colored eyes. "Everything that's happened before tomorrow doesn't count, it doesn't matter, and it doesn't mean shit. Starting tomorrow we are turning over new leaves," he stated.

"Alright," she conceded. "Starting tomorrow," she sighed.

"Yup, and we're going over to train with the teme and Sakura tomorrow! We're going to give Sasuke a great birthday and we're starting over tomorrow!" he stated it seriously and Hinata smiled.

"Alright, tomorrow."

"Good," he nodded.

* * *

Hinata just enjoyed studying his profile as she sat there holding his hand studying the moon with him.

Naruto had yet again saved her and she didn't think he knew after his declaration for tomorrow. Hinata had found it cute how determined he was about this matter, however, those were just the words she had needed to hear and it was soothing to her soul as she enjoyed the moment with him. eventually though she yawned and found herself standing up with a stretch as she bid Naruto a good night, he escorted her to her room and she smiled when she shut the door on him.

Then she felt her cheeks heating up as she thought about what he had said which had her clutching her heart as she trembled a bit and tears threatened to slip her guard.

A new leaf.

Starting tomorrow.

She just didn't know if such a thing were even possible as she walked to her bathroom for a shower and pulled on her pajamas. Once dressed for bed she clambered in and surrendered her mind to sleep.

In her dream she was leaping to save a stunned Naruto. She was crying, he was about to die, he couldn't die!

She waited for the stabbing pain and only felt blood spatter on her back as she turned to see his face.

"NEJI!" she screamed as she lurched up from her nightmare in a cold sweat as her heart slammed into her ribs with breaking force. Hinata blinked as she scanned her surroundings and then she collapsed back in the bed. There was a wetness on her cheeks which had her confused as she touched her skin.

Was she crying?

Her breath hitched in her chest as she stared at the gleam of the tears staining her fingers then.

"Hinata!" Naruto shouted as her door was yanked open and she turned to look at him clad in only his boxers and undershirt. The blush crept up her cheeks despite the tears at the sight of him.

"Are you alright?" he huffed out as his glowing orange eyes scanned the area.

She released a shaky breath as she nodded.

"I'm alright Naruto, it was just a nightmare," she admitted softly.

"Oh," Naruto relaxed then as he walked over to her. "I get them too, wanna talk about it?"

She shook her head as she wiped her tears with her blanket then as she tried to get the image of a dying Neji from her head. It was hard as she sat there trembling. Suddenly an arm was around her and she found herself being held tightly by Naruto. She felt her heart racing in her chest but her body sagged against his then as she cried quietly for her cousin again.

"Why did Neji have to die?" she whimpered.

Naruto didn't answer her thankfully as they sat there in silence. She found herself desperately clinging to him for hope and comfort and for guidance right now.

His hand just rubbed her back as she sobbed.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	16. Part 1: Chapter 16

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 16**

 _New start, new start, new start, new start_ ; he chanted religiously in his head as he and Hinata walked back with Sakura and Sasuke back to the training grounds after eating lunch. Sasuke was clearly agitated but Naruto wasn't too concerned about. Aside from the incident nearly two and a half weeks ago he hadn't an incident. Sakura was pretty calm around him too, and Naruto was trying to keep himself as himself as he grinned and walked with them. They arrived at the fields and he was bouncing with excitement.

"What are we going to start training on!?" he demanded gleefully.

"How about taijutsu," Sakura said and he balked, that was his worst at the moment. However as he gaped at her he saw he wasn't about to get out of this as he stared at her. "You and me, Naruto; and Sasuke and Hinata for starters; I have a few ideas to solve your balance problem. Hinata said that your main problem was your balance, I might know how to fix that, we did it for Sasuke," Sakura informed him.

Naruto was about to protest when he saw the way Sasuke looked, uncertain.

"I guess we're training together then," Hinata said nervously. Sasuke nodded and looked at Sakura, Naruto saw what Sakura was doing.

However, he still didn't like it and was about to say as much.

"I'll be close enough to interfere," Sakura interrupted before anyone could protest as she grabbed his wrist and dragged him off. Naruto looked back at Sasuke then. "Sasuke, just try."

And Naruto knew this wasn't about him as he stumbled after Sakura and watched Hinata and Sasuke walked off together.

"Are you sure…?" he started skeptically when they were out of hering ranged.

"It's perfectly fine Naruto, we'll hear any changes from here," she assured him and he scowled a bit. New leaf, he reminded himself. "So, how have the last few weeks been?"

The question had his attention snapping onto her then.

"You've been avoiding me," she informed him and they started the spar then.

"Fine," he lied as he tried to block her attacks. "Oh! We need to plan the teme's birthday! It's tomorrow," he huffed out as he slammed into the ground with Sakura atop him with a kunai.

"That's a good plan," she agreed as he knocked her off of him and rolled to his feet. Once up he rushed her, swinging his empty right sleeve had him stumbling as he twisted around to try to land a blow on her with his left, her fist hit his right ribs and he tumbled into the grass again.

"You need to stop thinking that you have the right covered, Naruto, I'm even obviously going for your right, so stop it!" she chided.

He huffed out a breath as he waited for her to come to him.

"We can't overwhelm Sasuke with a large party," she said suddenly as she stood there thoughtfully. He rushed her again, she ducked his punch though and knocked his center lightly which had him tumbling into the grass again.

"Alright," he said to her preveious statement. "No right," he muttered to himself as he looked at the empty sleeve then as he looked at her again. "I was thinking it could be Team 7 only."

"That's fine," Sakura agreed as she evaded his next attack, again he was in the grass glowering at how difficult this had gotten to be all of a sudden.

"I'll get the cake!" he declared eagerly.

"Alright, now focus Naruto!" Sakura snapped and she started demonstrating some slow moves for him, and he followed them slowly and carefully for the rest of the afternoon.

He was shocked when after the first break Sakura had him spar with Sasuke, and Naruto now felt the desires to best the teme again as they fought. However, Sasuke was fast, unbelievably fast, and he was agile. It was almost as if he were used to fighting with one arm. Naruto found this frustrating since he was still fumbling around when he had only one arm as well. But it appeared that the teme was not even off kilter with one arm.

It was frustrating, but he found himself pushing forward to try to beat Sasuke again as he tried to match Sasuke. Move for move. Blow for blow. Insult for insult. However, despite the fighting he found himself looking up into onyx eyes and a mask of indifference when he hit the ground a final time.

"You have got to show me that move!" he ordered which had Sasuke blinking as he stepped away. Sasuke had beat him with one move in particular and now Naruto was eager to know it and maybe use it for his left handed disability. He had been a little irked that it had taken Sasuke being prompted by Sakura to show him the move which he spent the next hour trying to copy and translate to be used with his left rather than his right.

Go low, spun up, slam into the exposed side with the foot opposite of dominate hand and stab.

They repeated this for forever and Naruto had to admit that for a minute, just for a moment, this felt like old times. And it felt…

It felt good.

Walking home with Hinata he was grinning in triumph and delight.

"How'd your spar with Sasuke go?" Naruto asked giddily. It had been a good day, and he wanted to know if Hinata had had as good of a day as he had, or if that it was just him.

"He's certainly quick," Hinata chuckled.

"I didn't think he could move that fast!" Naruto admitted as he then began recounting every gory detail of the spars Hinata had witnessed earlier. He had to admit he had been impressed, very impressed, and now he was going to have to get better than the teme to kick his ass again. It wouldn't do to have Sasuke better than him!

* * *

Sparring with Sasuke for her… it had been more nerve wracking that exhilarating. In all candid honesty the Uchiha terrified her.

The first time he had moved… he had been so unbelievably fast that if she hadn't had her Byakugan she'd have missed his moves. She didn't want to think about what would have happened if she had missed his moves and he was lost in himself. Sasuke had been almost too fast for her and she would admit that it had been terrifying.

However, he came out the victor in their spars and she had held nothing back on him, he hadn't held back on her either though she saw that he was always careful to avoid the tree where he had tucked his sword away. She didn't know why he had done that, but she wasn't going to interfere with whatever he was doing because she didn't want to be on the back end of one of his lash outs when he was overwhelmed.

"Thanks for coming with me," Naruto said when they reached the compound.

"It was actually kind of fun," she admitted as she smiled and walked with him.

"It kind of was, though…" Naruto trailed off with a dark expression on his face. "I didn't think… I didn't, ugh, I didn't know Sakura was going to split us up that way."

"It's fine Naruto, really," she insisted. Besides she could see why Sakura had done what she had done, and Sasuke wouldn't have handled sparring Naruto first well, at least in her mind. So Sakura had started him off with another female partner, probably so he didn't feel threatened or cornered and then they had progressed from there. Yes, Hinata understood her friend's logic and reasoning behind what she had done and there was no reason for Naruto feel bad about it.

"Right, new leaf," he huffed.

"Right, new leaf," she admitted with a smile.

"I'm… I'm glad that we did this,' he admitted softly.

"Me too, it was actually fun," she admitted. She had liked seeing Sasuke and Sakura spar, it was clear that it was more of a game to them than an actual spar. And sparring with Sasuke; whilst immensely terrifying, had also been fun towards the end of their sparring. And Naruto and Sasuke sparring… well, it was rather like two angry toms meeting in an ally. Insults were thrown just as much as punches, well, Naruto had thrown more insults while Sasuke had landed more punches. But still, it had been fun, a great deal of fun really and she had enjoyed chatting with Sakura while th boys had been trying to not try to kill one another while having a serious sparring match.

"That's good to hear," he admitted.

"I will admit that handling Sasuke was a bit terrifying at first but I think it was more scary for him," she admitted gently.

"Yeah, I think… I think I can handle him now," he admitted and she blinked.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he was… he was trying," Naruto admitted. She smiled, yes, Uchiha Sasuke was trying, he was trying very hard in her mind, and in the Hyūga assigned to guard him, even when those eight had shifted out because of the incident. Sasuke as trying.

"He was more like himself this time, I don't know how to explain it," he admitted.

"Sakura said it was like having two tom cats meet in an alley," Hinata admitted. Naruto laughed and gave her a cheesy grin as he scratched the back of his head then.

"Yeah… she'd think that," he mused.

Hinata wasn't aware of everything Team 7 had done or been capable of, but she knew that Sasuke and Naruto were said to have epic battles with one another; even a genin. Sakura hadn't elaborated but even Hinata had an idea of the kind of battles they would have.

"Are you happy to have him back in the village though?" she asked, it was the important question.

"Yeah, yeah I think I am…" he trailed off as he thoughtfully pondered this as they walked to her quarters.

"That's good," she mused.

"It feels like old times you know, and it feels really good. I'll be out tomorrow evening, Sakura and I are giving Sasuke a birthday party," Naruto grinned then and she smiled with genuine happiness for him. Hinata would give anything to have Neji here with her again, she would want to have another birthday with him, or another day with him to say thank you, to tell him that he meant so much to her.

"Have fun," she smiled then.

"Thanks, I'd invite you but um… Sakura wants it small so the teme isn't overwhelmed," Naruto said indignantly.

"She only has what's for the best for you two at heart," she assured him.

"I know, it's just… I would like for you to come with me," Naruto admitted.

"Perhaps next time, I will spend the evening with Tenten," she decided then. She would enjoy an evening with Tenten and probably talk to her about her plans for the baby and what they were going to do.

"How is she?" Naruto asked her.

"She's holding herself together," Hinata admitted as she bid him goodnight and walked into her room alone. She was trembled a bit as she sighed and felt herself relax against the door then.

Today had been…

Exhilarating and terrifying and exhausting as she stripped and walked to the shower. She never really wanted to be Sasuke's sparring partner, just because she understood the logic of it did not mean she wanted to have a repeat of it. She didn't know how Sakura faced him every day without the Byakugan as an advantage. Today had been challenging, even with the Byakugan.

However, she was happy for Naruto, she was happy that he was getting his best friend back. It was not something she had thought would actually happen for him since they had started chasing Sasuke.

She was really happy for Naruto.

The tear stained the floor of her bathroom and she sunk to the floor.

* * *

 **YAY! I'm Not Dead!**

 **Did You Miss Me!? Probably not, you guys probably just missed the updates... *sigh* =|**

 **Oh Well! =) Enjoy my week of writing with no internet for updates! I have written over 100,000 words for fanfiction so I hope you enjoy the chapters of all my stories!  
**

 **For Guests who are confused for the huge jump to the end I posted four new chapters today.**

 **For those of you who's emails I have spammed with updates... sorry, I had a lot of stuff to post!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	17. Part 1: Chapter 17

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 17**

Naruto was grinning in delight today as he walked through the village to pick up Sasuke's birthday cake. He felt as if he had leapt a massive hurdle, he felt like he had conquered a dangerous beast and lived to tell the tale, he could honestly say things were turning up for him, which was an amazing feeling after feeling like he'd been in the dumps for so long.

Yesterday his spar with Sasuke had been…

Well, he felt it had been a turning point for them and he was honestly thrilled with it because it felt like things in his life were finally getting back on track. Which was an exciting thought as he walked to the Haruno's partially built bakery.

"Wow, this is turning out nice!" he admitted when he walked into the shop and looked around. A blonde head poked around the corner and the green eyes brightened.

"Hey Naruto, Sakura said you'd be by," Mebuki admitted.

"Yeah, it's the teme's birthday," he grinned as he shoved his hand in his pocket and walked over to the counter. He liked Sakura's parents from the few times he had met them, he felt they were fun and lively.

"Yep, she called and placed the order for your pick up, here you are," Kizashi grinned as he appeared with a box. Naruto took it in an unsteady arm and cursed not having two hands for the small, delicious bundle; he was kind of afraid he'd drop it. "On the house!"

"Thanks!" he grinned. And managed to maneuver himself out of the bakery. The tricky thing was going to be the door of Sakura's apartment but he'd worry about that later as he walked through the village. He was feeling like himself again, and honestly he was feeling good about himself as he walked to Sakura's apartment.

Things were finally turning around!

He glared when he reached Sakura's apartment door and scowled at his useless empty right sleeve.

Then again… perhaps things weren't completely turned around for him as he carefully worked on balancing the cake and opening the door. He stumbled in to see a blur of people as he struggled to keep the cake from hitting the ground.

"Sakura! I got the cake!" he shouted in triumphant glee when he managed to keep the cake from toppling onto the ground.

"You do know this is a one-bedroom apartment, Naruto, with know where for us to hide, so there is no need to shout," she chided. He just rolled his eyes as he set the cake down and grinned at Sai.

"Is the cake good?" Sai whispered as he eyed it suspiciously.

"Yeah, her parents are the best bakers in town," he said in a hushed tone. Then grinned thinking to annoy Sakura a little. "She did not inherit their cooking talents though."

"I see."

"You two do know I can hear you, right?" he grinned as he looked at her, she was glaring at him and he thought it was fun to rile her up from time to time. After all, she was the closest thing to a sister he had.

"Don't cry about it, you suck at cooking Sakura!" he declared with a grin.

"Naruto," she growled.

"I'm stating fact," he cheekily reminded her.

"Naruto."

"Even the teme would agree with me!" he pointed out.

"That's it!" he saw the playful flash in her eyes just as she lunged for him. They hit the floor hard but he was not going to let her get the upper hand. Sadly, she had him pinned.

They all stopped when they heard Kakashi then. Sakura leapt for the light, he scrambled for his chiar and then everything was black. There was a thunderous crash.

"Shush!" he hissed.

"You shush!" he heard Sai retort. The door opened, a light flickered on and he grinned in glee.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" they all shouted and he sniggered seeing the teme's shock at all of them. Sakura was beside him with a smile, he was so happy that they were all together and the teme and him were again working on getting along.

"Come on! Blow out the candles!" he ordered when Sai lit the cake. Sasuke lifted a brow at him but he was undeterred, he was so happy they were finally getting along again, it felt like old times in a way. It was different, but it did feel like old times in a way.

They cheered when Sasuke complied with his demand and blew out the candles.

"Yamato couldn't be here, he's still hospitalized, be he wanted to give you this" Sai announced. Naruto blinked at the tiny red box. Sasuke opened it, and they all cringed at the tine rice like grain of wood.

"Ew! Don't eat that," he warned seriously remembered the gross way of tracking that the other captain had.

"I'll take that, Yamato has a bad sense of…" Sakura looked at him for help and he shrugged, she took the box away though and walked to the kitchen then.

"Here you are traitor," Sai announced. Naruto didn't bristle at Sai's use of the nickname for a change, he was too happy about them all being here and getting along for a moment that he didn't care what they called Sasuke so long as this moment stayed as it was.

"Thank you," Sasuke whispered. Naruto tried to peek at what Sai had given Sasuke but Sasuke had put it away again; he'd sneak a look at it later. Kakashi gave Sasuke his brother's ANBU mask, and Naruto grinned in glee as he pulled his present from his back pocket and shoved it at the teme. He had waited a long time to return this, and even dug through the rubble of what had once been his apartment to find it.

"My turn!" he declared eagerly. Sasuke said nothing as he tore the poor wrap job off and Narut sheepishly grinned. "I kind of… well, I stole it before they declared your place a crime scene, and I did kind of hide it away and found again after the Pain Attack," he admitted.

"Thank you," Sasuke murmured and Naruto knew the teme was touched by the sight of the photo he, Kakashi, and Sakura all shared of their official first day as a team. Naruto was happy that the teme had liked the gift and he moved on as they continued to celebrate the evening.

* * *

Hinata was feeling relaxed this evening, she didn't feel great, she didn't feel like herself, but this was the closest she felt to who she was in a long time as she lay there in the gardens with Tenten. She had managed to coax Tenten out of her room with the assurance that this wouldn't harm her baby. It was strange in Hinata's mind to see such a feircesom woman turn meek, but Hinata understood Tenten's fears for the baby after that first tear. However, after having chatted with Sakura she could honestly assure the woman that sitting around wasn't healthy either.

After all, Hinata had sought out Sakura today in the market place with her concerns with how weak, pale and slightly sickly Tenten was beginning to appear. And now that she had Tenten's undivided attention and trust about the health of her growing bump Hinata had decided to broach the subject of the girl's weekend Ino and Sakura had decided upon. Peeking over to Tenten she saw the weary brunette staring up at the tree as well and she sighed.

"This is nice," Tenten admitted and Hinata smiled as she stared up at the sky again. It was a bit peaceful without Naruto here, she thoroughly enjoyed his company, she did, and she loved him far more than she could ever put into words but right now she wanted to talk to Tenten.

"Sakura and Ino are planning a girls' weekend," Hinata started softly.

"They'll have fun," Tenten replied.

"We're invited to go with them," Hinata said then. All afternoon she had fretted about it, at least until Sakura had assured her that this was a good thing for all of them, they all needed a break. She agreed with Sakura, but to actually intend to go was a very different thing.

"I don't…" Tenten started worriedly, Hinata noticed the way Tenten's hand landed on the swelling of her stomach and she sighed as she propped herself up on her elbows then.

"Sakura and Ino are taking you whether you intend to go or not," Hinata warned suddenly. The pale girl looked at her with large brown eyes but Hinata was not going to falter. It was time to keep going with life, and she felt that Tenten knew this. "This will be good for you and the baby, they assured me that they'd be there if something were to arise, and they will monitor you. Besides, it'll be fun."

"Hinata, I'm not…"

"You need to do this for the baby," she assured Tenten. Besides, it was the spa, she was relatively certain that that would be the ultimate, stress-free, relaxing place there was to be for them after everything that had happened these last six months.

"They're just going to take me with them aren't they?" she sighed.

"I'm going too," Hinata piped up then.

"Alright," Tenten sighed then and she shut her eyes as her fingers rubbed her stomach. Hinata smiled a bit and they both laid back in the grass. The sudden sensation of tears slipping down her temples had her bringing her fingers to her face. Pulling them away she was shocked when they were wet.

Why was she crying?

She didn't know, all she knew was that pain in her chest was consuming her again, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to will the tears back. Tenten's hand took hers' as well then and she looked at the teary brunette.

"We're being ridiculous," Tenten sniffled.

Hinata said nothing as her breath hitched again and a slight sob escaped her.

"I-I don't even know why I'm crying," she admitted as the tears just started flowing. She and Tenten were hugging one another as they both sobbed. Hinata just clung to the slight frame of the older woman as she sobbed hysterically. Tenten wasn't in much better shape.

Hinata knew she should be ashamed of herself for letting all these emotions get the better of her, but she couldn't as she sobbed and gasped for breath as the tears slipped past her guard. She was a Hyūga, damn it! She wasn't supposed to be crying like a toddler, and yet she couldn't stop as she gasped for breath and tried to catch her breath as the sobs wracked her body. Burying her face in Tenten's shoulder she let it all lose, all the pain and heartache she had been holding back, ignoring and acting like it wasn't there. There was no stopping it as it all spilled over and the tears escaped her.

It hurt so bad, Kami did it hurt, but she could no more stop the hysterical sobs escaping her than she could stop the winds.

Eventually the body wrenching, gut twisting, chest crushing, and soul stealing sobs stopped as she hugged the other woman. The tears slowed a bit, but they didn't stop their free flow.

"I feel better," Tenten admitted in a wobbly voice as they both sat there hugging one another.

"Me too," she whispered weakly, she felt a few more tears stain her shoulder where Tenten was hiding and she felt her own tears slip past her guard. Kami did she hurt.

But that mysterious sob had lifted a weight of her chest, it felt like it was easier to breath, like she could breathe again. She bit her lip as she clung to Tenten, and she felt the fierce weapon's master tighten her own hold as they sat there for a long time in silence. Hinata didn't know if there was anything they could say.

Eventually they got up and started walking towards their perspective quarters. They looked like a wreck no doubt, but Hinata honestly didn't care what her father would think.

"I think… I think girls' weekend will be fun," Tenten admitted softly.

Hinata only nodded as they parted ways.

* * *

 **Look, ALL of the Until the Day I... Stories are slow to start. ALL Of Them.**

 **This is also not an instant Naruto-Hinata story. And I am trying to get them back into character again, but they are by far the most challenging pair for me to write, so please have patience with me and this story. I am truly trying, and I am trying to take all the advice I receive to improve this story.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	18. Part 1: Chapter 18

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 18**

Hinata smiled as she enjoyed the warmth of August and walked with Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino to go visit their former mentor, Kurenai and Mirai. It was a good day. Since her cry with Tenten she could admit to feeling immensely better, and almost like a weight had been lifted off her chest. There was really no way to describe how that cry had made her feel other than that, also it had felt very necessary. Like it had saved her, and that was the part which had her feeling the most relieved as she walked through the village without her escort and with her Team.

"Do you want to tell us why you ran out on lunch a few weeks ago?" Kiba asked and she looked at her friend then. Kiba, ever hotheaded, aggressive, blunt, assertive Kiba, just had no tact to leave things alone. She sighed knowing she'd tell him anyway.

"Sakura was hurt, and Naruto and Kakashi had to drag Sasuke off of her so Tsunade could examine," she explained and both the boys looked dumbly at her.

"What?" Shino asked in a soft tone.

"Sasuke's been… different?" Hinata didn't know how to describe what Sasuke was now. He didn't seem to be some deranged hateful teen intent on murder.

"This is the first I've heard of it," Kiba stated hotly and she sighed. She couldn't explain it, and people who saw him understood that he wasn't the same.

"It's complicated Kiba," she decided and he just pouted a bit and they continued towards Kurenai's place. They chatted lightly about the going-ons in their clans as they walked and she was pleased to hear that Shino and Kiba were both being commemorated for their bravery in the war. Hinata was a little shocked to be invited to their ceremony which was the weekend after the planned girl's weekend and she found herself looking forward to it.

It was a huge honor for her to even be invited to this Clan ceremony, most of the Clans were private about what was going on in their clans and she found herself happy to be invited as she walked with them and asked questions about the ceremonies.

They arrived at Kurenai's and she pressed the buzzer then.

"Hello?"

"Kurenai, it's Team 8," she announced and then there was a pause before the front door unlocked and they walked in. walking up a few flights of stairs they made it to Kurenai's apartment and she knocked. The door opened and they looked at a tired version of Kurenai and smiled.

"Hey Kurenai-sensei," Kiba grinned.

"It's so good to see all of you, come in, I'll make some tea," Kurenai smiled warmly as she stepped aside and they all walked in. a baby gurgled on a futon when Akamaru trotted over to the baby and stuck his nose in the girl's face. They all watched and she giggled a bit when the baby squealed in delight and Akamaru flopped beside the baby with his tail thumping in delight.

Baby and dog were in love as they sat there.

* * *

Naruto felt uplifted since Sasuke's birthday, and he was really happy as she sat there in the Hokage's temporary office reading over the reports and trying not to die of boredom. He wanted to be Hokage and that meant that he'd have to deal with these reports on his own one day so he was determinedly ploughing through them.

Still, his brain felt numb and he wanted to go sparring with the teme again. He still sucked at covering his right, but he was working on it. It was annoying to only have one arm, and his left arm at that. Why couldn't he have blown off his left arm instead of his right? He had always been right handed and now he was left handed and it sucked!

Sighing he fell back in his chair as he rubbed his throbbing brow and looked over to Kakashi who was reading over a report that had just been sent in from Intelligence and the hawk which had been waiting in the window. Deciding he wanted to read something a little more interesting he slipped over to the hawk and pulled the message free. He recognized Shikamaru's lazy scrawl immediately and sat down as he began reading it over and blinked twice at what he was reading.

He had known that Shikamaru had wanted to do a diplomatic outreach program between civilians and shinobi but he was shocked to be reading about it.

However he was enraged when he read that there were people who were believing the delusional teachings and following Uchiah Madara and they were using those beliefs as a reason to attack innocent civilians.

"Kakashi! Is this true!?" Naruto demanded as he shoved the papers at Kakashi then and his mentor sighed.

"Yes Naruto, it's true."

"But why the hell are they attacking peaceful civilians!?" Naruto demanded then and Kakashi leant back with a sigh and Naruto waited impatiently for an explanation for this atrocity. Hadn't there been enough pain, suffering and death with the war to make it clear that war was not something that they wanted!? The world should be striving toward peace, hell that was his goal, his only goal! And to read about innocent civilians being blown apart and ripped apart was not only appalling but infuriating.

Even Kurama's shackles were up as the old fox snarled at this report.

"Because they are being manipulated by the leaders of the terror factions, and they are sent into villages believing that the only way to obtain peace is by destroying everything. There are also the ones who are striving to bring Madara's body back to life so they can have him create the Infinate Tsukiyomi, it's all right here in Yamanaka Ino's report," Kakashi said and handed it to him.

Naruto grabbed it and began reading it desperately as he tried to figure out when the hell this world had stopped trying for real peace.

* * *

Hinata smiled as she bounced the baby Mirai lightly in her arms after Kiba and Shino had left. They had both said they had Clan matters to attend to and she understood as she stayed with Kurenai then. Mirai was just so cute with her mama's unruly black hair and red eyes, other than that though she really looked like her father.

"She's so cute!" Hinata admitted gleefully as she looked the baby over and let Mirai suck on her finger.

"She looks like Asuma," Kurenai admitted softly and Hinata looked up at the older woman who looked a little saddened then.

"She does, but she has your eyes and hair," she admitted as she examined Mirai closely. The baby looked up at her with bright red eyes and Hinata smiled a bit. She wondered if Neji's and Tenten's baby would look like a mixture of them or if their child would take after one of them. It was kind of exciting to think that Tenten would have Neji's baby, but at the same time it was terrifying as she looked at the adorable baby in her arms.

"Yes," Kurenai said softly with a smile. "How's Tenten? I heard she's pregnant."

"Yes, she is, and she's… holding it together for the baby, it's Neji," Hinata admitted softly and that had Kurenai's red eyes widening as she looked to her own child. Hinata wasn't telepathic but even she had a feeling she knew what was going through Kurenai's mind as they sat there.

"I'm so sorry," Kurenai whispered.

"She won't talk about it, not with anyone, I worry about her," Hinata finally admitted. Tenten was so depressed and unlike herself that Hinata was genuinely concerned for her wellbeing. No doubt that if Tenten didn't happen to be pregnant right now that she would have probably killed herself, and that thought terrified Hinata to the bones.

"Mmhmm," Kurenai nodded as she reached over and stroked Mirai's cheek. "I understand, tell her if she ever needs to talk to someone who understands what she's going through tell her she can come speak with me, I don't mind," Kurenai said softly and Hinata's breath hitched as she stared at her mentor.

"R-Really?" she stammered out. Kurenai hadn't really talked to anyone about losing Asuma aside from Shikamaru but that was because losing Asuma had crippled Shikamaru in a way.

"Certainly," Kurenai nodded. "Being a single mother is difficult, if she should need help she should know that she has it. That will help her. If Shikamaru hadn't been around after Asuma… I don't know what I would have done, baby or not," she whispered in an ashamed tone as tears shone in her eyes. Hinata clasped the older woman's hand and squeezed it a bit as she sat there with the smiling Mirai and tears slipping past her guard again.

"Thank you, I know it's hard for you so thank you, I just… I don't want her to feel isolated," she murmured.

"I know," Kurenai murmured and they enjoyed the rest of their day with Mirai.

* * *

Naruto had come to two conclusions by the end of his day.

One, he was going to need to vastly improve living and fighting with his left, and if Sasuke could do it then by Kami so could he! He was just as good as the teme and he was going to work his ass off to prove it! He was going to need to improve so he could go out into the field.

And the second conclusion that he had drawn today was that as for as much as he wanted to be Hokage; and he was still going to work on that dream; he was going to be needed in the field to help bring about the permenant peace that Jiraiya prophesized about. He was going to see that idea, that dream, that prophecy of his masters come to being a reality and he couldn't do that sitting in the Hokage's office right now.

Which was why he was looking at his empty right sleeve and waiting for Hinata to come back to the compound.

He had just gotten word that his apartment complex was finally being rebuild and should be liveable within the month.

However, he had other things on his mind. When Sasuke left by the end of September his life would go back to normal; and he probably would write the teme to keep in touch. But those thoughts weren't important to him when he was thinking about the plans he needed to bring about the peace his master had dreamt of.

"Naruto?" he looked up at Hinata and smiled at her.

"Hey Hinata!" he couldn't help but grin for whatever reason. Seeing her made him feel… something, what he didn't know but he always smiled when he was with her.

"What are you doing here? I thought you have work with the Sixth," she said softly.

"I do, but uh… I need your help, I need to know how to fight with only my left," he said and she nodded as she came to sit beside him. "It's important and I wouldn't be this far if you hadn't helped me out so I'm asking you if you mind helping me out a little more?"

"N-No, not at all!" she squeaked out hastily, her face turning red.

"Thanks, I have to get stronger," he admitted and she nodded.

"Of course," she nodded.

"Hey, how are you doing?" Naruto asked when it occurred to him he hadn't really been keeping up with how Hinata was doing. He knew she hurt, but they were all hurting after the war and he had caught her crying a few times. Part of him kicked himself for not saying something earlier, but another part of him pointed out that he had been busy.

"I'll be alright, Ino and Sakura invited me to a girls' weekend," she said in a happier tone.

"Really!? Have fun!" he decided was the best answer because he had no idea what one was supposed to say to that. also, if he asked to come he had no doubt he'd be meeting the business end of Sakura's fist and Ino's glare and that wasn't something he wanted to endure.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	19. Part 1: Chapter 19

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 19**

"Alright Naruto, we're done for the weekend, Tsunade will be in charge for the weekend," Kakashi informed him. His head snapped up from the boring report he was reading.

"What!?" he gaped.

"I have plans weekend, Sakura asked a favor of me," Kakashi said in a lazy tone.

"What favor would she ask you but not me!?" Naruto demanded. He was usually the one who Sakura asked favors of, and it was a bit strange to hear that she would ask a favor of Kakashi rather than him.

"She asked me to take Sasuke for the weekend," Kakashi informed him.

"What!? Why!?" Naruto demanded. Sakura was good at keep up with Sasuke, and she seemed to want his company. Also, she seemed to have some strange connection with the teme, which he didn't seem to understand. They had never been close before he had left when they had been genin but now Sasuke had latched onto Sakura determinedly.

"They have planned a girls' weekend," Kakashi.

"They?" he blinked.

"Yes, apparently Ino has managed to collect Temari, Hinata, Tenten and Sakura all for a girls' weekend, Sakura has handed her responsibilities of Sasuke over to me so he won't be executed," Kakashi inform him.

"Why wouldn't she just ask me?" he asked. He and Sasuke could hang out for a weekend, it would be fun!

"Naruto," Kakahsi sighed.

"Well if they're having a weekend the we'll have a guys' night out!" Naruto declared in glee. This could all be so much fun. Besides, he hadn't gotten to hang out with his best friend without Sakura there supervising for some reason. He was certain that this would all be fun!

"Fine," Kakashi dismissed.

"Great! It'll be tomorrow night!" Naruto decided and Kakashi just waved him off as they left the Hokage's office. He was rather excited about this now as he figured out what they were going to do. It was going to have to be fun, and if Ino had taken all the girls with her then he was going to invite Sai!

Running over to the Yamanaka compound he knocked on the door with gusto, they were going to have a night of drinking, food, and fun! Yes, that's what they were going to do!

"Hello dickless," Sai greeted when he answered the door. Naruto scowled at the name but he didn't yell at his friend as they walked into the Yamanaka house.

"We're going to have a guy's night out! You, me, Kakashi-sensei, and the teme! We're going to have food, go drinking and have a good time!" he declared.

"Guys' night?" Sai questioned. Naruto didn't like the skeptism in his voice as they sat at the table.

"Yeah! I talked to Kakashi about it! And we'll take Sasuke out and it will be a lot of fun!" he repeated as he grinned. This was going to be the first time since the war that he got to hang out with his best friends and not have Sakura around. Though it would be fun if Sakura was around as well, but there were certain things one couldn't talk about when Sakura was around without fear of being smacked. Also, Naruto wanted to know what kind of drunk Sai and Sasuke were, this was going to be fun!

"Fine," Sai shrugged.

"Greate! We're going to have so much fun!" he was giddy with the prospect of doing something that wasn't training or Hokage related for a night now.

"Are you certain drinking is a good idea though?" Sai asked. Naruto frowned, why wouldn't drinking be a good idea.

"Yeah! It will be a lot of fun and we haven't been drinking for a long while," he said. The last time he had gone drinking was with Sakura and she had put him under the table, that had been a really bad headache but a really fun night.

"Naruto, do you think drinking, with the traitor, is a good idea?" Sai asked giving him a leveled look. Naruto sighed, he really didn't see how it was a bad idea.

"What could go wrong!? It's just drinks!" he defended with a shrug. Also it would be their first break since the Pain Attack and he was looking forward to it.

"Naruto, be very careful about this. Sasuke is not alright," Sai warned him and he scowled.

"Sasuke's fine!" Naruto snapped, it was true. The teme had been doing a lot better since his birthday and he had no doubt that whatever had been going on with Sasuke had passed. He was perfectly fine now and Naruto wanted to spend some time with his best friend.

"Naruto, I will enjoy guys' night, however, I must warn you that drinking might not be the wisest of activities," Sai said. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"It's about fun, Sai," he pointed out flatly. This wasn't about what was smart, it was about what was fun, and drinking was fun. Well, unless one got in a drinking competition with Sakura.

"When are we going drinking?" Sai asked and he grinned.

"Great! And tomorrow night!" Naruto smiled happily as he left Sai. Now he was telling Kakashi and Sasuke that tomorrow night they were going to go have a fun night of drinking tomorrow evening and he was going to return to the Hyūga compound.

According to the notice he had received earlier this week at the Hyūga compound his apartment was almost finished being rebuild, something he was very pleased about as he walked towards their compound. He wanted his place back.

Also, he wanted to escape the weird girls who were following him around now. Honestly! He couldn't even go to Ichiraku's for a bowl of ramen without some girl coming up to him in a giggling fit. It was really weird! He wanted everything to go back as it was and to keep working towards the peace his master had foreseen. He was certain that this time, with hard work, everlasting peace could be achieved!

* * *

Hianta was rather impressed with the inn Ino had booked them, and as she waved Tenten off for the night she was actually finding that she was enjoying this spa weekend. The afternoon of massages, though uncomfortable at first had turned her into a very peaceful, happy noodle as she now walked the halls to the hot springs.

She was feeling liberated! And it was an enthralling sensation.

She had never felt this loose, or this free in her life. She rather liked it. Humming to herself she made her way to the hot springs and saw another person already there.

"Oh, hey Hinata!" Sakura smiled as she floated there.

"I can go…" Hinata said uncertainly. She was still terribly uncomfortable with her body, she envied girls like Ino and Temari, or even Sakura.

"No, come on, the water's warm," Sakura said. Hesitantly Hinata peeled off her robe and carefully clambered into the spring. She sighed at the warmth of the water seeping into her aching bones. Holding her massive chest until she was neck deep in the water she relaxed.

"How have you been lately, Hinata?" Sakura asked after a large silence between them.

"Oh… uh, well, I have been very well," she stammered. She had been feeling better since her cry with Tenten. "And how have you been, Sakura?"

"I'm hanging in there," she said. "Tenten looks exhausted though."

"She worries about the baby," Hinata admitted.

"Understandable, that tear was not good," Sakura admitted. Hinata said nothing as they sat there together. There was an awkward silence between them, well, it was awkward to her and she felt that she should say something. Anything.

However, there was nothing she could think to say. She and Sakura were not really friends, they were acquaintances, and teammates on occasion but they weren't really friends.

"Thank you," Sakura suddenly spoke up pulling her from her thoughts as she looked at the pinkette.

"For what?" she asked in shock. She wasn't really thanked for much, if anything really and it was shocking to hear the thanks. The pinkette cracked her eye open then and Hinata saw her tired expression, Sakura didn't look like she was eighteen, no she looked as if she were about eight thousand with a thousand years of work to do still.

"For taking Naruto in when I couldn't, you have no idea how much that meant to me," Sakura admitted. "I would have taken him in while his apartment was rebuilt, but… I couldn't, he and Sasuke are like high explosives and fire, together they just… they're destructive. And I know he's not easy to handle, and I means a lot that you didn't turn him out when I asked. Thank you, and thank you for helping him as you have, I couldn't do it. I don't have the patience."

"Oh… it was no problem," Hinata replied uncertainly. "He's been a wonderful guest."

"Really?" Sakura mused.

"Well, I mean, he is a wonderful guest but until recently he was mopey, moody, and he cried a lot when he thought he was alone. But… well, even I was crying and everything was hurting, I think Naruto was the same. He's different now, after Sasuke's birthday, he's… I don't know, he's happier," she admitted.

"Hmm, thank you," Sakura smiled. "Has he been depressed lately?"

"Not really, he has moments," she admitted.

"That's good, he's healing," Sakura sighed. "Thank you again for being there for him."

"Sakura, may ask you one thing?" Hinata asked uncertainly.

"Certainly, you can ask whatever you want," Sakura said easily enough.

"Why did you ask me to help him out? You could have asked anyone…" she started then bit her lip because she didn't' want to say something she couldn't take back.

"I suppose I could have asked anyone, after all he is the World's Savior, a War Hero, they'd have all been honored to have him there. But they don't know him, the real him, not the titles he has.

"I could have asked Kakashi to take him in, but that would have driven Kakashi nuts. Shikamaru too. Chōji would have taken him in as well, but the Akimichi and Nara homes have been assigned as the diplomatic over watchers at the moment, so it wouldn't have been fair to Naruto to shove him into their houses. I could have taken him in but… I made arrangements to take Sasuke and I was working, and will be working again and can't give him the attention he needs.

"I put Sai with Ino for different reasons, but the idea of Ino, Sai and Naruto all under the same roof is enough to have the village in fear, there'd be death and probably a triple homicide if they had to live together.

"I asked you Hinata not because you were my last choice, but because you were my only choice. I asked you because I know that if he was with you he'd be cared for, and he'd be safe," Sakura explained as she got out of the hot spring. Hinata didn't know how to feel about that. Sakura was leaving now and Hinata was left to ponder the answer she had been given, her back was to the pinkette as she thought this over carefully.

"I also asked you because you love him," Sakura said.

Hinata gasped in horror as she spun around to see the pinkette smile kindly.

"I know what a girl in real love looks like," the pinkette said and then she was gone. Hinata was completely confounded at those words as she sunk to her nose in the water. She had thought that no one had seen it, and she was kind of hoping that no one would see it. But it appeared that she was wrong.

She scooted up then and sighed as her head fell back gently and she stared above herself. She didn't know how she should feel now that someone other than herself or Kō knew that she loved Naruto. Biting her lip she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to keep the floodgates shut on her secret emotions. But they all spilled forth in full force.

Hyūga Hinata was in love with Uzumaki Naruto, admitting it to herself once again was liberating and she smiled in delight at feeling free.

"I love you, Naruto," she whispered to herself and she smiled at the words. Perhaps she would work up the courage to tell him that she loved him…

* * *

 **Another reminder here, all of the Until the Day I... Stories are slow to start! There are no instant couples in these stories! They are being built up to though so just be patient with me!**

 **Besides I'm relatively certain that these are labeled Drama and not Romance.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	20. Part 1: Chapter 20

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 20**

Hinata found herself enjoying this freedom as she spent the whole day being nothing more than a happy noodle. She looked up when Tenten joined her that afternoon. The woman moved with ease as she sat beside her, Hinata's eyes looked to Tenten's swelling stomach and then at the woman.

"Hey Hinata," Tenten smiled slightly as she rubbed her belly.

"Hello Tenten, are you feeling alright?" she asked.

"Better," Tenten admitted and she looked at her bump. "I think Neji would want this."

"He would," Hinata said promptly as they both sat there in silence for a while.

"What's the matter Hinata?" Tenten asked her and Hinata's head snapped over to the woman as she shook her head furiously.

"Nothing," she lied. Truthfully, Sakura's parting words were bothering her, it wasn't that Sakura had said them maliciously but rather that she knew. Hinata had tried to hide it, but she knew that blushing whenever he looked at her, and her younger years of not being able to talk to him without her tongue being tied in knots hadn't helped her hide it. However, it was really only important that her father not know of her love for Naruto at the time, but now… Hinata didn't know.

"Hinata, I've told you everything about Neji and myself, I'm asking as your friend what's the matter," Tenten said softly.

"I… I just… I don't know," she sighed. "I didn't think anyone would ever notice…" she admitted.

"Notice what?" Tenten asked her. Inhaling deeply Hinata found her courage and looked the other woman in the eye as she spoke about what she had on her mind.

"Notice that I love Naruto," she admitted. Tenten let out a laugh then.

"Neji knew, Kami did he ever used to rant and rave about that when we were alone," she chuckled.

"Huh?"

"Yeah, Neji knew, he knew since the day Naruto stood up to those bullies for you, he was there watching over you. He told me he didn't interfere because he didn't want you to rely on him to come save you, and he wanted you to stand up for yourself. He never expected the village orphan to stand up for you, or to try to defend you, he said when you came home with a tattered red scarf in hand he knew," Tenten explained.

Hinata blushed a bit at the memory, she still had that tattered red scarf in a safe little box in her closet. Not even Kō knew about the scarf, no one knew about the scarf she had lovingly tucked away to fix later and return to him. Even then he was a savior, he had been her savior though.

"I didn't know he knew about that," she mumbled shyly.

"He knew, he knew you loved Naruto a great deal," Tenten said wistfully as she rubbed her swelling stomach. "I think that was why he was alright with sacrificing himself for you and Naruto, because you loved him," she whispered.

"Tenten… I…" she started but there were no words she could think to say as she sat there and shut her mouth with a sigh. There was nothing she would ever be able to say to Tenten which would bring Neji back, or convey how much she wished it had rather been her than Neji who had perished that day.

"I don't blame you, or Naruto," Tenten said defensively. "I miss him, I miss him a lot, it's like someone tore out my heart, shredded it into little pieces before lighting it on fire so there was nothing but ash and a hole in my chest. But I can't blame you two no matter how much I hurt, and Kami do I ever hurt. Some days I miss him so much I want to die, but…

"But I have this child, and it needs me, I realize that now, and I'm not going to let losing him prevent me from giving everything to my baby. Lee and Guy have agreed to let me come stay with them when they're out of the hospital; if Tsunade doesn't knock them through the earth's mantle for disobeying her orders for rest.

"I'll figure out what I'm going to do for this child, I'm thinking of a weapons shop." Tenten said.

"I'm still… I didn't want him to die," Hinata finally said.

"He made his choices," Tenten said carefully. "But he died so you two would live, so I suggest that you live to the fullest, and love Naruto with everything you have. Also, tell him you love him, don't let Neji die for nothing. He'd want you to love, and be loved. He loved you a lot Hinata, and even if he never said as much he was very proud of you."

"Really?" she asked uncertainly.

"Yes, and everyone but Kiba and Naruto knows you're in love with Naruto so I would hurry up and tell him," Tenten prompted.

"Hey guys! Come on! We're going to have fun all of us tonight!" Ino called over as she came up to them.

"What are we doing?" Tenten asked suspiciously.

"We're drinking, you're drinking a tea Sakura made you supposed to be full of good vitamins and protiens for the baby," Ino said and Hinata found herself being dragged after the blonde with Tenten and she smiled to herself.

Perhaps it wasn't so bad that everyone knew she loved Naruto, now all she had to do was figure out the best way to get the courage to tell him. If Naruto and Kiba were the only ones who didn't know she loved Naruto then there was no point in hiding it anymore. And she doubted her father would disapprove of the match anymore as she walked into the suite.

"We're playing 'Have You Ever…'," Temari filled in for her and she felt herself blush as she sat at the small table. There were conspiratorial grins between Temari and Sakura which had her approaching the game with caution.

* * *

Naruto found himself walking through the village towards where his apartment had been. He had received a notice that he was free to resume his lease there if he chose. Was even sent a key so he could go inspect the place. He wasn't certain what he was expecting, but he knew that he was going to be checking it out reguardless.

Kurama was grumbling about living in the same old smelly apartment, but he honestly had a lot of good memories about the place. Which was why he was considering moving back into it, but first he intended to inspect it and then decide.

Being a War Hero had elevated his status a lot, he noticed as people greeted him and waved. He was smiling and waving back as he walked through the village. It was a good kind of strange, this, and he found he kind of liked the change. It sucked being yelled at and cursed at, and he could remember that vividly as a child. But things were changing and he liked this change, he liked it a lot as he walked through the village.

"Hey! It's Naruto!" a voice shouted.

"Hm?" he stopped and blinked as two girls jogged up to him, dragging a third with them. He remembered the first two from the day they had run into him with Hinata at Ichiraku's. Thinking of Hinata he hoped she was having fun with the other girls, she was always so quiet he wasn't sure if she was enjoying herself or not.

"Hey," he greeted the girls.

"Wow! You're so cool!" the long haired girl gushed; he couldn't remember their names. It had taken four years of knowing Temari just to remember her name!

"What are you doing?" she one with a bob cut asked.

"Oh, I was going to go check out my apartment, they said they rebuilt it!" he grinned.

"Wow," the third gushed. Kurama was snarling at the girls, and Naruto decided it was time to go. Besides he didn't know what they wanted from him.

"Well, I have to get going, it was nice seeing you again," he said as he walked off without them. They were so strange, and they were the first girls he knew to randomly come up to him in the street and gush to him about nothing. Girls were weird was his only passing thought as he walked up to his building then up the rebuilt stairs. He made it to his old apartment and he hesitated for a moment as he stared at the new door before he fumbled with the key in his left hand and opened the door.

Walking in he looked around at the newer but same layout of his old place before Pain decimated the place. Looking around he decided he was going to have to get a new bed and probably new furniture; apparently it hadn't survived Pain's assault. And as he walked over to the window to look out at the village he frowned.

He could live here, it was a good place, and it wasn't like he was living with anyone else, and it was nowhere near the expenses Sakura's apartment was. And it was definitely a step up from the shit hole Sai resided in. Naruto sloppily signed his lease again and then he walked out of the apartment, locked the door and walked to the super. Once all this was sorted out he walked by the hospital to check on Yamato, who he hadn't visited yet and saw him signing out of the hospital.

"Hey Yamato!" he shouted as he jogged up, his sleeve flapping emptily.

"Hey Naruto," Yamato smiled.

"Kakashi, Sai, Sasuke and I were all going out drinking tonight, you want to join us?" he asked then.

"Sure, I just want to go to my apartment first," Yamato said.

"Alright, we're going to the usual place, it's newly built!" he grinned.

"I'll see you there," Yamato said as they parted ways and he decided that tonight was going to be fun with his friends. Jogging to Kakashi's he walked right in then.

"Hey guys!" he said with a huge smile seeing Sai, Sasuke and Kakashi all here.

"Naruto, just what are we doing?" Kakashi asked him.

"Nothing much, but I busted Yamato out and he's waiting, come on!" he ordered giddily and he watched as everyone walked out of the apartment. He was all but bouncing in his glee at having all of Team 7 here with him.

"Hey Sasuke! I got my apartment back!" he announced.

The teme just nodded with a slight smirk.

"You can talk you know," he griped. "Anyways, I just need to get some furniture and it'll be good to go. Also I think I'm getting the hang of this left hand thing, I don't know how you could live left handed it, it sucks.

"This is going to be so much fun! It's only Team 7 here, well, except for Sakura and she's at a girls' weekend…" Naruto jabbered. He was a bit nervous, the giddy kind of nervous which had him uncertain what to say so he just babbled on and on about everything. Sasuke seemed to be listening and he took that as a sign that they were getting to be friends again. It felt good too, he had missed having his best friend around.

They made it to the bar and he reached for the door handle to open it, but he scowled when his sleeve flapped emptily. Sasuke got the door instead and they all sat at the table.

"Hey Captain Yamato!" he greeted seeing the creepy eyed captain sitting at a table already and they all sat there. This was going to be a fun night as they ordered their drinks.

"come on Sasuke! Get a drink!" he prompted when he noticed his friend hadn't ordered one yet. It was a night for drinking, and they were all going to have a good time!

* * *

 **That's all for now folk!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	21. Part 1: Chapter 21

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 21**

"No, no, Temari, it's I have never, not have you ever," Ino corrected as they walked into the room. Hinata chuckled as they all sat at the table and she looked at the shot on the table where she was sitting. She hadn't ever been drunk before, it would not be appropriate for the Hyūga heiress to be drunk, and as she stared at the shot before her she decided to hell with what was appropriate. This was going to be a fun night.

"So long as we drink, I don't care," Temari replied and Hinata decided she agreed with the Suna kunoichi as she eyed the drink suspiciously.

"How about we have Sakura start!" Ino shouted and Hinata looked at the laughing pinkette who smiled arrogantly.

"Alright. Now, the rules are simple, instead of lowering fingers people who have done the implied never done event take a shot, everyone has three 'I have never' and then we go around the circle, and on we go, round and round until we have our first pass out or run out f booze!"

She nodded in agreement to the rules, she looked at the liquor before her and was going to have fun tonight no matter what.

"I have never kissed a girl," Sakura started and Hinata watched as Tenten and Ino take their shots and pour some more.

"Sexual experimentation," Ino shrugged.

"A dare from Neji," Tenten chuckled as she poured her tea.

"I have never walked in public without my clothes," Sakura declared.

Ino and Temari took their drinks and she frowned. She really wanted a drink.

"I have never been in love," Sakura said softly and Hinata looked up at the pinkette and downed her shot, the first taste of burning alcohol on her tongue, it scorched her throat, and it warmed her belly. It felt so good and she smiled then as she looked at the shot glass. Yeah she could see the appeal of the alcohol and she wanted a little more tonight as she poured herself a shot.

"Hinata! Who!?" Ino greedily demanded.

"N-Naruto," she stammered as she felt her face heat up at being put on the spot.

"Really! That's wonderful, does he know!?" Ino demanded.

"Hinata, what I said earlier, make that three people," Tenten said wryly.

"What! This is news to me!" Ino insisted as she took her turn. Hinata giggled a bit and after many drinks she found herself dancing with Ino, though she didn't lose her clothes like Ino was. She liked this as she swung her body around and laughed a bit as she tossed her long hair around and swiveled her hips as she wiggled a bit. Ino laughed and she grinned.

This was fun, she didn't think she had ever had this much fun and she didn't want it to stop. Never had she just danced to no music, it would not be appropriate for a Hyūga, but tonight she was just Hinata with her friends and she was going to have fun.

* * *

"No," Sasuke shook his head and Naruto looked at his friend. Everyone else got the meaning of a guys' night out, and that meant there was drinking.

"Come on teme! It's a night out, a celebration that Team 7 is whole again! Well, everyone is here but Sakura…" he said as he looked at the table and the people there.

"I'm not drinking Naruto," Sasuke snarled. Naruto frowned, this was not how the night was supposed to go. It was supposed to fun tonight.

"Come on, it's fun! And nothing bad is going to happen!" Naruto insisted. Sasuke gave him a blank look then and he felt like pounding his head against the brick wall.

"You're fine!" he insisted because Sasuke was fine. The teme hadn't had a break down or whatever since they had started being friends and training again.

The teme flinched at his words and Naruto frowned.

"Hey, he'll have what I'm having," Naruto said to a passing waitress.

"Alright," the girl giggled nervously and he smiled a bit as he looked at the teme who was glaring murderously at him.

"Naruto I am not drinking," Sasuke snarled.

"Come on Sasuke," Naruto pleaded. Just once he'd like something with the teme to go as he planned it and this was one of those things he wanted to go right. Just once! "Just this once don't be an ass," he pleaded.

"Naruto, I said no," Sasuke snapped and he watched as his friend left the table in a surge of motion. Naruto moved to follow and he managed to grab the sleeve. It was a flurry of motion and he was winded as he hit the ground.

"Ow," he groaned as he rubbed his stomach then. There was a snarl and he saw Sasuke leave and Naruto propped himself up then as he rubbed his gut where the teme had landed a strong blow. "That asshole! Why the hell did he hit me!?"

"You deserved that," he turned to see Sai sitting there looking levelly at him.

"I didn't do anything!" he defended as he stood up.

"No Naruto, you wouldn't listen to your friend. He said no and you pushed, you deserved everything that happened. Drinking might not be something good for his mind at this moment Naruto, think of that the next time you push someone," Kakashi said icily.

Naruto looked at the ground for a moment, he guessed that it was possible that he had overestimated Sasuke's health or whatever because he had been fine lately. Walking out of the bar he walked after Sasuke, he was going to try to apologize for that and he was going to get his friend to come hang out with them again tonight.

He caught sight of the teme just as he rounded the corner. Jogging after Sasuke he noted that the teme was walking the route to Sakura's.

"Hey!" he called out, Sasuke didn't slow. "Hey! Teme! Hey! Wait up!" he shouted.

Sasuke slowed and stopped, Naruto finally caught up and realized they were halfway to Sakura's.

"Kami you're quick," he huffed out and he decided he was going to need to do more training and get back into shape as his right stump throbbed and he moved to rub his arm and noticed it wasn't there.

"What do you want Naruto?" Sasuke demanded sharply.

"Hey!" he snapped back to tell the teme to stop being an asshole but stopped.

"I came to apologize," he decided was the safer course of action as he stood there. "I just… you seemed better, a lot better, lately and I thought that you'd be alright with this and… I guess, I was wrong. I'm sorry, Sai and Kakashi said that drinking was something you didn't want to do and I'm sorry for pushing you."

He noticed the way his best friend went slack then as his head drooped.

"I'm sorry for hitting you," Sasuke said in a tight voice and Naruto grinned in victory. He had Sasuke's apology. But he sobered up quickly.

"Sakura hits harder," he decided. Sasuke still wasn't looking at him and he decided to continue. "Look, can we try to be friends again."

Sasuke looked up and Naruto outstretched his hand. This could be the best fresh start either of them had ever had, after all, Naruto didn't think they had come back friends from the war, brothers for sure but friends…? Not so much.

"I'd like that," Sasuke said as he shook Naruto's hand.

"Well, this hasn't been a walk through the park for me either," he admitted. "And… I'm sorry I don't get it, but I guess you win the fucked up contest, if there ever was one," he said with a shrug and straight face.

"You're way more fucked up than me," Sasuke snorted.

"Eh," he shrugged. It was probably tied, and the thought had him chuckling a little. "So we're good?"

"Good."

"Where were you going anyways?" he asked.

"Home."

"Well, hey, why don't you come hang out with us, and I promise not to force you to drink, but it'd be really nice if you hung out with us again," he offered.

The teme seemed to think this over and finally answered with an answer that slightly infuriated Naruto.

"They don't want me," Sasuke said finally.

"Nonsense, Sai, Kakashi, and Yamato were all concerned for you when you left," he said.

"I meant everyone else," Sasuke said blandly. Naruto was confused then remembered the villagers and the glares.

"Well, they don't matter," he decided. "And you're my best friend, come on."

"What's it like living with Sakura?" he asked as they walked.

"Annoying."

"Damn, I thought her walking around in her underwear would be sexy, not annoying," he sighed.

"She doesn't do that."

"She doesn't!? I thought girls did that sort of thing," he lied. No doubt if Sakura was here and heard him, his ass would be on a painful, one-way trip to Suna. However, it felt good to have his friend back.

* * *

Hinata came to the painful conclusion that being drunk was not fun, she moaned in pain as she clutched her head and rolled away from the morning's light. She didn't know what it was about alcohol at this moment but as her stomach churned dangerously and it felt like there was a pike being driven through her head, she avowed to never be drunk again. Sighing she reluctantly cracked her eyes open and wondered if using her Byuakugan to filter out the sun would be a good idea.

She decided against it because chakra networks were just as bright.

Reluctantly she got to her feet, her stomach lurched dangerously and she covered her mouth as she bolted to the restroom. Skidding over the sink she heaved. Hands pulled her hair back as she clutched the counter with all her strength and trembled while she heaved.

"Better out than in," a soft voice murmured as she heaved. Cool hands touched her brow and Hinata savored the cool feel. Her temples were throbbing as she heaved with all her might. Finally, there was nothing left of her minimal stomach contents and she felt her knees give out as she slid to the floor.

"I am never getting drunk again," she moaned as she rubbed her eyes.

"Glad I'm pregnant and can't drink," Tenten said.

"Ugh, it was fun, but this sucks," Hinata admitted as she pulled her hair back, and let her head gingerly rest back against the wall as she sat on the cool tiles.

"That is the beauty of being drunk, and then hung over," Tenten mused softly. Hinata winced a bit though as all the sounds bounced around her skull and stabbed her brain mercilessly as her empty stomach churned violently.

"Well, this sucks," she admitted.

"It does," Tenten agreed and reluctantly Hinata got to her feet when her stomach snarled angrily, stumbling into the suit she saw Ino, Temari, and Sakura all sitting there eating. She envied the pinkette then for her seal, apparently Sakura hadn't joked when she said she couldn't get drunk.

"Here, water, medicine, and grease, and you'll be right as rain," Sakura said then.

Hinata downed the pills and the water in a single go as she sat down at the table and looked at the food before her.

Reluctantly she ate it all knowing it was all going to go straight to her hips. But it didn't matter because her snarling stomach demanded to be fed and she was not a particularly vain girl. Truthfully she envied the girls like Sakura and Tenten for their lithe builds, and then there was hers'. But it was not like she could change her body, just keep it in shape and taken care of.

Sighing she closed her eyes and savored the greasy food which she was devouring. It felt good to fill her stomach and it felt like a horrible morning could lead to an alright afternoon of traveling.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	22. Part 1: Chapter 22

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 22**

Naruto did not know if it was simply because it was because he had drunk until he was stumbling or if it was the evil of light, but he yanked the covers over his head and tried to block out the sounds of the village from his throbbing head. It hurt!

It felt like the teme had decided to use his head as a punching bag and good Kami did it hurt!

Groaning he rolled over and winced a bit at seeing the brightness of the light and he wondered if the teme had had a different reason for not drinking last night, and that was the morning after. Sasuke was smart like that, or at least he could be when he wasn't being a Class-A Asshole. Reluctantly Naruto dragged his sorry carcass out of his bed and pulled himself up to his bathroom. Once he was on his feet he inspected the damage he had done to himself.

There were massive bruises beneath his eyes, he looked rather pasty and half his blonde hair was sticking up on one side of his head. However, he did not look at that bad, he decided. The bruise from the teme's punch was fading, and that was good.

Deciding that he didn't look like the walking dead he dug through the Hyūga medicine cabinet for the cure all for hang overs. Though he was doubting such a medicine's existence he'd settle for something for his head and fill his stomach today. Groaning he knocked the pills he found back and took a long drink of the sink's water. After taking care of that he slowly made his way to the Hyūga kitchen in search of something for his growling stomach.

"Lady Hinata! You're back!" he heard a voice declare as he rounded the corner only to be crashed into. Wincing at the impact he stumbled back and hit the floor.

"Oh! I-I'm Sorry!" he looked at a red faced Hinata then who was pressed up snuggly against his chest and she scrambled off of him.

"It's okay," he rasped and winced at the feeling of his own voice bouncing mercilessly in his head and stabbing his brain. He was never getting drunk again!

"Are you alright?" a pearl eyed Hyūga asked him.

"Hungover," he answered as he slowly got to his feet.

"You went drinking too?" Hinata asked in her sweet, soft voice and he thanked Kami that she wasn't like Sakura who would yell at him for being an idiot.

"Yeah, never again," he admitted as he rubbed his throbbing head.

"I was going to make lunch, want to join me?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," he surrendered. He would do anything to keep the noise to a minimal for his throbbing head. Hinata handed her things to the other Hyūga and they walked to the kitchen together. carefully he sat down and watched as Hinata quietly moved around the kitchen. He wondered what she was cooking, but when his stomach snarled he decided he didn't care what she cooked so long as it helped relieve some of this pain.

* * *

Hinata was careful to be quiet, having experienced the roaring pain of a hangover this morning, and she was still dealing with the dull roar of it, she had figured quiet was the best help. She cooked something extra greasy, Ino had sworn that would be a cure to her hangover, though Sakura had insisted water would help the most. Hinata decided to do both for herself and Naruto as she finished her cooking and shut off the stove. Carefully she served the plates up.

Putting the pan in the sink turned out to be a noisy affair when it slipped from her fingers and slammed down with a huge clatter, she winced and Naruto groaned in pain. After that she returned to the table with two glasses and sat with Naruto as they ate in relative silence.

"Did you have a good girls' weekend?" Naruto asked in a soft raspy tone as they ate.

"Mm-Hmm," she hummed as she ate. She had had a lot of fun this weekend; minus the hangover from hell.

"That's good," Naruto nodded.

"Did you have a good weekend?" she asked softly as she picked up another bite of food.

"Yeah, sorted a few things out with the teme," Naruto said and she frowned a bit over that statement as she sipped her water.

"What do you mean?" she asked for a clarification and continued to eat.

"I don't think we're going to be best friends," Naruto admitted. "However, we're still brothers. I never thought about it until yesterday and I think… I think it's better that way."

"Are you happy with that?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know, but… I think we're going to be alright with that. Besides, I don't think that we've been best friends for a few years now," he admitted.

"I see," she nodded reluctantly and he smiled a bit.

"But we're going to always be brothers," he said and she smiled for him as they continued eating.

"I am never getting drunk again!" he moaned after a long time of silence.

"Agreed," she nodded and he gave her a curious look.

"You go drunk?" he asked.

"Yes, my head is killing me," she admitted as she felt her cheeks heat up and he chuckled lightly. Hinata sighed as she finished her meal and silently putting her plate in the sink.

"I don't get how Granny can do that all the time, my mouth feels like a sewer," Naruto mumbled. She giggled softly, then winced as her head stabbed her to remind her that her hangover wasn't completely eradicated.

"My head feels like it should be lopped off for a moment of pain free peace," she admitted as she walked with him.

"I agree," he nodded slowly and she winced when she stepped out into the sun on the porch. Naruto groaned in pain and she rubbed her eyes.

* * *

"Everything is too bright," he whimpered as he walked with Hinata.

"Uh-huh," she grumbled and they finally parted ways when they reached her quarters. He decided that he was going to have to talk to her about his moving back into his place after today because right now all he wanted to do was curl up and die in peace. Kami was his head ever killing him as he walked into his quarters and fell back upon his futon. Dragging the covers over his head he tried to hide from the pain of his headache.

However, a new one was forming as he lay there on his side.

The teme and he were brothers, they had been since they had been twelve. And minus one kiss, they had a pretty good relationship. Naruo knew this and he was coming to cherish it again. Once he had accepted that whatever was going on with the teme had nothing to do with him and had everything to do with the teme he figured they could be solid again. It wasn't going to fix everything between them, but with work he was certain that they could patch things up between them.

It was going to be challenging, but he was never one to back away from a challenge. He could do this. Last night had been a start to them fixing their friendship, a real start and he was going to be excited to see how the rest of their fixing their friendship went. Surely Sasuke was going to stick around this village for a long while this go around, he wasn't going to be running off anytime soon and they could fix things up before he went.

But Sasuke's leaving was a long ways off.

With that in mind he let his eyes grow heavy as he surrendered to resting again. It was his day off, and with how his head was feeling he didn't think he could help with Hokage duties until he could actually think without having his head split in half. Sighing he let the exhaustion he felt just consume him and drag him into the safety of oblivion where there were no dreams to wake him and no nightmares to scare him. there was nothing as he let the oblivion flood his system and the sleep of his hangover drag him away.

* * *

"Onēsan!" a voice sliced through the quiet of the garden Hinata was sitting in as her head snapped up too fast and she winced. She smiled though when she saw Hanabi jogging towards her without her shoes and her long dark hair flying around wildly.

"Hanabi," she greeted her sister who hugged her then. "How have you been?"

"Busy, I've been rebuilding the Academy, all missions have been temporarily suspended," her twelve year old sister looked read to pout and Hinata smiled a bit.

"I don't get it, Konohomaru's team got to go on a mission, but I'm stuck here helping with the Academy," Hanabi pouted as she sat beside Hinata. Hinata just chuckled a bit at her sister's carefree, perky attitude and envied her younger sister momentarily for her social security no matter who she was talking to or what she was talking about.

"Perhaps because the Hyūga clan cannot afford anymore losses," she supplied as she smiled at Hanabi.

"Well, that's stupid, I'm a kunoichi just like you," Hanabit pointed out and Hinata chuckled a bit. Her sister was a superior kunoichi to herself even at this young age. Hanabi was a prodigy by the noble clan's standards and naturally gifted.

"When do you take the Chūnin Exams?" Hinata asked as she gave her sister her undivided attention for this was their first interaction; real interaction; since before the war.

"I don't get to participate this year," she said.

"Why?"

"Well, they are on hold because of the war, and there's the field promotions to sort through and they are saying that they might have a grand Chūnin Exams next year to let all genin who are ready participate from the Allied Shinobi Forces, but it's just a rumor at this moment," Hanabi sighed.

"I'm sorry," Hinata said.

"It's not a big deal, I figured the war was going to mess with everything for a while, the Academy was destroyed from Pain's Attack, and Iruka-sensei has been having me help with the younger kids, as he and the other teachers sort through the applications and sort classes," Hanabi smiled.

"I'm glad you are enjoying it," Hinata decided because she knew Hanabi was having fun if she was smiling like this. Also, Hanabi had a childish streak in her which never seemed to cease which would make her relateable to the younger Academy students.

"I really am, but it's… I want to get back to training," Hanabi admitted.

"You will soon," Hinata said.

"Hey, can we start sparring again; without the serious look outs and stuff, just to train and have fun. I miss it," Hanabi admitted.

"Uh… sure," Hinata hesitated because until recently she was not considered a serious member of the Hyūga clan's gentle fist technique and her sister was a prodigy who had been on par with Neji since she had been six.

"Oh, is Tenten really pregnant with Neji's baby!?" Hanabi asked then.

"Yes, she is pregnant with Neji's baby," Hinata nodded.

"That's good, I miss cousin Neji," Hanabi admitted and Hinata blinked.

"I miss him too," she admitted.

"Hopefully her baby will have her personality and not Neji's though, he as such a stick in the mud!" Hanabi sighed dramatically and Hinata chuckled a bit, then winced as her head dully reminded her that she did have a hangover.

"Lady Hinabi! You are to be at the Academy now!" her sister's escort appeared then and Hinata sighed. Hanabi pulled a face as she stood up.

"Don't forget we're going to start sparring onēsan!" Hanabi said and Hinata stiffened when her sister hugged her, hesitantly Hinata returned the hug.

"Promise," she whispered and Hanabi giggled as she jogged off waving, Hinata smiled a bit and leant back against the tree as she relaxed a bit.

* * *

 **A few more chapters today.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	23. Part 1: Chapter 23

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 23**

"Do you have an appointment today Tenten?" Hinata asked noticing her pregnant friend trying to slip away.

"Uh… yeah," Tenten said. "Sakura said I needed to try to walk a bit once or twice a day so I thought to walk there."

"Alright! Take care of nīsan Neji's baby!" Hanabi ordered from where they were sparring. Hinata smiled a bit at her younger sister's demand, and Tenten softened.

"I will, have a good sparring sestion," Tenten managed.

"Say hello to Lee and Guy for us!" Hanabi ordered as Tenten walked away and Hinata chuckled a bit at her younger sister's antics as they both resumed their sparring session. Hinata evaded Hanabi as their veins pulse chakra into their Byakugans, Hanabi lunged for her and Hinata blocked they continued doing this for hours until they were both throbbing in pain and exersion as she held herself up on her knees and panted for her breath.

"You have gotten stronger, ōnesan," Hanabi huffed out.

"You as well," Hinata managed before sitting down. Hanabi joined her.

"Hey Hinata! Working hard there!" Naruto shouted she jumped as she felt her heated face flush some as she stumbled to her feet and she looked at the grinning blonde.

"N-Naruto! You scared me!" she huffed out as he jogged towards them.

"Oh, sorry," he said. Over the course of September she and Naruto had not been interacting all that often, he had taken most of his training to Kakashi, Yamato, Sai and Sasuke, Sakura as well, and she had started working out with Hanabi to perfect the Gentle Fist technique with her little sister. It seemed like a good idea, for even if she was considered a master in the art of the Gentle Fist Technique she did not feel like one. Also, Naruto had become increasingly busy with the Hokage's duties, because he was still working towardshis goal.

"H-How are you?" she asked nervously.

"Oh, good, just… busy, the Kage summit is coming up later this week and all the preparations for that is exhausting!" he exclaimed. She chuckled a bit at his expressiveness.

"It is an important event," she pointed out as she stood there clasping her hands tightly and smiling a bit.

"Yeah, it's just a lot of extra work too, all the Kage and their security," Naruto sighed.

"It's important," she pointed out.

"Yup," Naruto agreed and then he saw something.

"Hey, I gotta go, but we should do dinner sometime; I haven't seen you lately!" he said as he started jogging away.

"Sure," she managed as she felt her face heat up and her heart flutter in her chest.

"Ah! Young love!" Hanabi sighed dramatically once Naruto was out of earshot and Hinata turned on her little sister.

"That is no way to talk to your ōnesan!" Hinata scolded. She did not need her younger sister invading her love life.

"But a young maiden in love! It's romantic!" Hanabi giggled and Hinata felt like going and dying in a hole at this moment as she mocked a glare at the younger girl.

* * *

September had been busy for him; exceedingly busy, to the point of if he wondered if up was down and down was up. He was finding himself exhausted and spread thin as he jogged back to the Hokage's office to continue the preperations for the Kage's summit.

Recently they had contracted the Land of Waves for some construction, and Kakashi had him looking over a lot of mission requests. Naruto didn't see the importance of this work, for the real work was out there to bring about an everlasting peace on the world. And he would do it even if he had to do it all on his own. However, Kakashi was insisting that the never ending paperwork was important to bringing the everlasting peace. Even the Fifth, Tsunade who was all but retired; said that the paperwork was important to bringing Jiraiya's dream about as a reality.

Still, he wasn't giving up, even if he found all this work to be very boring and pointless. He wasn't going to give up on Jiraiya's dream, he wasn't going to let the world know more pain than it already did. It wouldn't happen as long as he was alive.

Smiling a bit he saw Sasuke and Sakura walking through the village and he jogged up to them.

"Hey guys!" he greeted and Sakura smiled at him.

"Hey Naruto, how is everything going?" she asked him.

"Great, I was heading to my place for a change of clothes and then I was heading back to the Hokage's office, you know we should hang out together soon. After all, I'll be turning eighteen like you guys soon, and some of us are good friends," he said teasingly to the teme who frowned.

"Alright Naruto, we'll hang out together," Sakura submitted.

"Great! Can you believe it's going to be my eighteenth birthday soon!?" he inquired, dropping the obvious hint to the teme and Sakura.

"No, I can hardly believe you're going to be eighteen soon!" Sakura grinned at him and he smiled broadly.

"I'm surprised he's lived this long with no common sense," Sasuke grumbled.

"Hey! What are you implying!" he roared.

"I am insinuating nothing, imbecile," Sasuke countered.

"Why you ungrateful teme!" Naruto growled out and Sasuke smirked.

"If either of you start brawling here I will kick your asses!" Sakura roared which had everyone on the street stopping what they were doing, and Naruto flinched as he stepped out of Sakura's reach then knowing she would do it. Sasuke however gave her a challenging look.

"I will do it!" she snapped.

"Hn," he grunted.

"So, Naruto, what are you doing?" Sakura asked him as they started walking together again.

"Nothing, I was going to change, grab lunch and go back to helping with the arrangements for the coming Kage summit.

"How's Hinata?"

"She's good, I mean she's been training like crazy with Hanabi, but she's good," Naruto shrugged. He didn't know what Sakura was getting at by bringing up Hinata. Kurama grumbled something about him being oblivious but he ignored the fox as he looked at Sakura.

"Well, that's good," Sakura decided.

"Yeah, hey, I gotta go, I move back into my place so this is my turn here," he said when they came to his street.

"Alright, later Naruto!" Sakura waved, the teme nodded to him and they continued walking leaving him behind. He felt a pang in his chest when he realized that he was never going to get Sakura, but worse, as he watched them walking away, he realized he never had her. Kurama muttered something about him deserving better than a girl in love with another man and he ignored it as he jogged up to his place and scaled the stairs.

Pulling himself up to his door he opened his place up and started hunting up clean clothes. He made a mental note to do a load of laundry because he was in need of clean underwear and found some clean clothes. Pulling them on he tossed all his clothes in a pile in the corner, was frustrated when once again he didn't have his right hand or arm when his empty sleeve hit the knob of the door.

Internally he swore and wondered how long it was going to take him to get used to having no right arm, it had almost been five months since the end of the war and he had lost the damn limb. And yet he still didn't seem to acknowledge that it was missing, even when he was learning how to spar. It was difficult for him to accept, for some mysterious reason.

Jogging down the stairs he started back to the Hokage's office because there was a ton of work to be done. He didn't know where the work would end but he did know that the work wasn't going to magically disappear on him like he wanted. Looking around the village he wondered just how much longer he was going to have to work his ass off for the Kage summit and when he could work on the Hokage work. all of this extra work couldn't be everything that the Hokage did, there had to be more to it than a never ending river of paperwork.

Not that it mattered, even if that was the job he was still going to be the Hokage one day, he was going to be the Seventh Hokage! He was going to do it.

"Naruto!" a few feminine voices squealed and he turned.

"Huh?" he managed and he found himself being surrounded by the girls.

"I was wondering if it was true if you really saved the world!"

"Of course he did!"

"And he like, did it, like single handedly!"

"That's not true!' he started but he was overrun as more people began to crowd him and ask questions, he started walking and talking with the growing mob.

* * *

"Have you been talking to Kurenai?" Hinata asked that evening after Guy and Lee had wheeled Tenten up to the Hyūga property.

"Yes, she's… she's been very supportive and understanding," Tenten said as Hinata poured her a tea.

"That's good," Hinata decided as she poured herself a cup of tea and sat with the older woman.

"I guess, it's just… I still miss him a lot," Tenten admitted.

"I know," Hinata whispered.

"Well, how about you? any plans for catching Naruto?" Tenten asked her, Hinata nearly choked on her tea as she gaped at Tenten.

"What!?" Hinata managed.

"Please, Neji died so you could have a chance with him, don't throw it away," Tenten ordered and Hinata sighed as she stared at the tea in her hands and closed her eyes.

"Everything is so busy right now, I don't… I don't want to pressure him," Hinata admitted softly as she tightened her hands on her cup. Truthfully, she didn't want to make Naruto feel obligated to date her because her cousin had died so they could live. Even in her maiden view of relationships she did not think that it would be a good relationship start for them.

"Hinata," Tenten sighed. "It's never going to be a good time to tell him you love him, we're shinobi and as shinobi we're always charging headfirst into danger and disaster. It really is a now or never life for us, and Neji would want you to be happy," Tenten said as she took her hand.

"I just… I don't want it to be an obligation," she whispered. She wanted to be loved for who she was, not because someone had to love her. Hinata had experienced obligatory love, it was not what she wanted.

"Hinata… alright wait, just don't wait to long," Tenten surrendered.

"Why would it matter? There are girls who are flocking to him, and… and he loved Sakura," Hinata whispered.

"No, I think he loves the idea of Sakura, he doesn't love Sakura," Tenten amended for her. Hinata blinked in confusion.

"Neji… Neji, he didn't think that Naruto really loved Sakura, I mean how could a guy love a womand who can and will knock him twenty feet into the ground," Tenten chuckled. "Also… the day of the Pain Attack… he changed when you were hurt, not when Sakura was hurt."

"I don't understand…" Hinata admitted as she stared at the table.

"Give it time Hinata, I think if you open his eyes he's going to realize you're the one he loves and Sakura isn't the woman for him," Tenten admitted. "Besides, it isn't in his cards to get Sakura."

"I don't believe in fortune telling," Hinata chided softly.

"It's fun, and… it's a distraction," Tenten murmured as she rubbed her growing belly.

"How was the baby?" Hinata asked.

"The chakra readings still put my baby three or four weeks underdeveloped but according to all the medical stuff my baby is a normal, healthy baby; minus my tear when he was fourteen weeks," Tenten said.

"That is strange," Hinata admitted.

"They can't figure out why the chakra readings and growth don't match," Tenten admitted in a worried tone. Hinata just took the other woman's hand as they both sat there in silence and she scanned over the baby with her Byakugan.

* * *

 **Fell asleep yesterday, was watching Netflix; which isn't really my thing, but hey it was fun.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	24. Part 1: Chapter 24

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 24**

Naruto found the Kage summit to go into full swing once the Kage started arriving.

The Kazekage was the first to arrive, he was greeted by his sister and Naruto was a bit bummed that he didn't get to go greet his friend, Gaara, and chat for a bit. However, he was starting to understand just how important all this work was to be, and just what it was he was supposed to do. It was actually all rather dull, but working with his former mentor, Team Captain, and the now Sixth Hokage, he was coming to understand just how important all this boring paperwork was. He was going to be Hokage one day and that meant taking all the boring paperwork, reading it over and doing it.

Honestly, it epically sucked, but he was going learn to handle it though he was wanting to do a big mission. He wanted to be active again, he wanted to go fight someone, he wanted to go help someon, and he wanted to see the fruits of his labor, so to speak. But he knew that wasn't what they needed him to do which was why he was reading over these boring reports.

"When the Kage summit convenes Naruto, you will not be allowed in," Kakashi said.

"Huh? What!? Why!" he started in confusion and his teacher looked at him blankly.

"You are going to be called as a witness on a few things, your opinion is not what is going to be asked of you and the Kage will not be having you shout your opinions interrupting the important matters," Kakashi supplied to him.

"What!? I'm not close to anything in these stupid papers! I won't have an out burst!" he argued.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Kakashi said coldly.

"What about the teme?"

"His case is going to be examined, again," Kakashi said icily.

"What! But we already go his sentence! He wasn't sentenced to death! A year of probation and then he was going to be fine!" Naruto shouted.

"Not in this case anymore, and you are too close to it, the Kage summit will not be disrupted by you because you do not like the sentence your friend will receive," Kakashi said coldly. Naruto frowned.

"He's your friend too you know!" he spat out.

"I know that, but this is what is for the best of the world, not just one man, personal feelings have no place in this trial," Kakashi explained and Naruto felt like yelling at Kakashi about the stupidity of this situation. Sasuke had been sentenced nearly four months ago with the first Kage summit! This was outrageous! He was furious as he glared at Kakashi.

"What are you guys going to do!? Hang him out to dry! Leave him out in the cold or behead him!?" Naruto roared.

"That just might be what happens, and you will not be there to have outbursts on behalf of our friend," Kakahsi said.

"That's not fair! The teme helped save us!" Naruto bellowed.

"It's not about fair, it's about what is Naruto. And this is happening, under the request of the Mizukage, Raikage, and Tsuchikage, they have every right to ask for a reexamination of the Uchiha after everything that he has done," Kakashi snapped at him.

"But the teme saved our asses, he helped me break the Infinite Tsukiyomi!" Naruto argued.

"And that is being taken into account, but the truth is, this was what was always going to happen," Kakashi snapped back at him and Naruto balked at his mentor and teacher and friend. What the hell!? After all the testimony, arguing, begging, and pleading they had done the first round they were now being told it was pointless. Why didn't they just stake Sasuke out on a pike and tell the world we don't give a fuck!?

Enraged Naruto stalked off before he did something drastic that he couldn't undo or worse, he destroyed something. Feeling Kurama's rage at the moment with his own was not helping him out as he stalked toward the Hyūga compound. He wanted to yell, raise hell and rant and rave about this to someone who wasn't just going to lay back and take it like Sakura and Sasuke would.

Hinata would at least talk with him and hear him out, she wouldn't just tell him to shut up and put up which was why he was seeking her out. Glaring around the Hyūga compound once he reached it he closed his eyes as he gathered nature energy to find Hinata.

Orange eyes zeroed in on her location and he walked towards her chakra.

If he talked to the teme or Sakura right now he'd strangle them. He knew it, because he knew there was no way Sasuke was going to fight this and Sakura was automatically on the teme's side. It was frustrating as he hunted for Hinata.

He found her eating in the sun of the garden's grass and relaxed a bit as he walked over to her. Her pearl eyes glanced up at him, he grinned sheepishly when he saw her eyes widen.

"N-Naruto!" she stammered.

"Hey, mind if I join you?" he asked her, he didn't know what it was about Hinata but she was the perfect thing for him right now as even Kurama settled around her.

"Uh… certainly,' she replied hesitantly.

"What would you do when you found out damning news but there wasn't anything you could do about it?" he asked softly.

"That would depend on the news," she said shyly and he sighed as he dragged a hand through his hair.

"The teme's case and sentence are being reexamined during the Kage summit," he admitted miserably as he let his head fall forward. He didn't know what to feel about this as he sat there trying to think and trying not to break everything around him at the slight betrayal he felt at this announcement.

However, he wasn't Hokage, and there wasn't anything he could really do to stop this from happening.

* * *

Hinata blinked as she absorbed what was said and she tried to process it as she stared at Naruto.

Truthfully Sasuke did not mean that much to her. He was merely a troubled young man who had taken a dark path, a path she very well could have ended up on or Naruto could have ended up on, if there hadn't been people here pulling her up, people inspiring her to be better. She accepted this. However, she wished she could claim to be surprised by this announcement.

After everything Sasuke had done it was very likely that he was never going to be forgiven and that Naruto was going to have to accept that as a part of who his best friend was now. This didn't mean she was going to tell him that, since he was clearly distraught. Thinking over her reply to his announcement carefully she looked at the blonde who sat beside her, a young man she loved with everything she had and then some. And he was hurting. Biting her lip she grabbed his hand, she felt her heart race and her face flush but she focused past this as she shyly looked into those clear, never ending blue eyes.

"Sasuke has done a lot of bad things, Naruto," she started.

"I know that! But he was already sentenced!" Naruo huffed out and she sighed for having been interrupted then.

"Naruto, Sasuke's sentence is likely to be reviewed and evaluated many times before it's official on what his fate is, he has committed some of the worst crimes in society. He will not be forgiven immediately, and it is going to take him time to earn back the trust of everyone who he hurt with his actions," she said softly. He looked at her and she smiled a bit as she squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"I just… I just finally forgive him, for real, and then there's this shit," Naruto sighed.

"It happens," she shrugged and he stared blankly at her in response.

"He'll work it out, but he'll need you there as his friend," she assured him and he sighed.

"I just… I'm tired of this war," he said. "It ended but it doesn't seem to have ended."

"I understand," she murmured. For she did, she did understand what he was saying. The entire world, the villages, the people, the lives, the losses, the dreams and nightmares, they all revolved around the war and this strange new 'post world' they lived in that they were trying to fix so as to not have another war. However, it was all strange, and it was a bit painful, and it was under constant vigilance as they slowly started patching it up. Hinata stared at their linked hands and savored it for a moment.

"All this should be done, done and over, we won," Naruto said.

"I understand, but there's the after math to deal with," she pointed out, he pulled his hand from hers' to rub his brow.

"I know, and I know this time is crucial to creating an everlasting, substainible peace, but… but it's like the war never ended. We're free and we won, we all came home, but they won't let things go," he sighed.

"I do not think that this is something any of us will just let go, and we shouldn't. We should learn from this," she murmured.

"I'm just tired," he admitted.

"I understand."

"I'm tired of all the fighting, the trying, the no progress, the fear, the pain, the nightmares, and the losses, I'm just… I'm tired of it all," Naruto admitted.

"I understand, I think we're all tired after the war," she admitted.

"Not Sakura, she just keeps on plowing through it all, and same with Shikamaru and Kakashi," Naruto huffed.

"I think they are the most tired, Naruto, they just don't have time to be tired," she murmured. She had seen it, briefly, with Sakura and Ino that's girl's weekend in August. It had been so long ago, or so it seemed, but she had seen it. Sakura was holding it together by sheer will, and Ino was patching herself up. Temari looked just as tired and she knew Tenten to be exhausted because of the war. However, she knew the illusions of being alright they all had to maintain in order to keep going.

She had to do it herself, and there were many mornings where she didn't even want to wake up, she wanted to sleep and sleep and sleep until there was nothing for her but dreams. There were days she had to fight down the desire to break and just sob. And there were nights where she was so exhausted she just wanted to give up and surrender to oblivion, but she couldn't find sleep despite her exhaustion.

"War is exhausting," she mumbled.

"It sucks," Naruto declared and she smiled a bit.

"It does suck. But we learn from it, we can move forward from it," she hoped.

"I guess, it's just… we're not at war anymore so why can't we just keep working on rebuilding the world and leave the teme alone; he's a different person now," Naruto sighed.

"Because, that's not how the world works," Hinata murmured. The world was slow, it was quick to evolve, but it was slow to heal, it was like people's hearts. Quick to keep going, but slow to heal.

"You know, when this is all over, I hope there's never another war," Naruto sghed.

She smiled.

"That would be nice," she admitted.

"Yeah, I'm going to grow fat, have a tone of kids, and a wife I love, and I'm never going to let them go, and I'm never going to let anything hurt them," Naruto avowed. She blushed at his declaration and couldn't help but want to ask if she could be in his dream. But she held her tongue.

"Thanks for listening to me Hinata," Naruto grinned.

"Certainly," she stammered. "I like talking to you," she mumbled.

"I like talking to you to!" he declared.

She felt her face turn the most brilliant shade of red at his acknowledgement.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	25. Part 1: Chapter 25

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 25**

The day he was officially kicked out of the Hokage's office was the day he felt like banging his head against a telephone pole.

The rules were simple; he was even told that if he didn't follow them how he was going to be punished for interfere with official Kage business. It sucked! And the worst part was he was also told that if he tried to bust in then he was going to be punished as well. Naruto was irritated and he felt like pounding his head against a telephone pole would be more productive than this Kage summit.

Which was why he was walking aimlessly through the village trying not to lose his temper and yell at something. It wasn't often he felt powerless about a situation but at this moment… he felt pretty fucking powerless as he kicked a can at his foot and sighed.

The war was five months in the past, there was no going back, and yet it still felt like the war was dictating their lives. He opened his eyes when he realized that it was officially the last day of September. Looking around he decided he would go hang out with Hinata. It was coming near his birthday and he had always hated celebrating it alone. It was more fun to have people with him around this time of year, he liked not feeling alone.

Besides, if he hung around alone he might do something stupid like try to break into the Kage summit and demand that they stop persecuting his best friend. And that would probably only serve to get him on Sasuke and Sakura's bad sides and not to mention he did not want to be in jail guarded by the ANBU for the duration of the Kage summit, he would miss his birthday and that wouldn't be fun.

Sighing he was shocked when he found himself outside of the Hyūga compound.

"Hey, Hinata here?" he asked as he walked up to one of the guards posted outside the house. He didn't understand why this was but he knew that the last Kage summit here the guards had been heavy in the Hyūga compound.

"Yes," the guard answered.

"Great," he waved and jogged onto the compound. He had an idea of where Hinata would be here, and if she wasn't here then he would just track her chakra down. He found her comforting to be around, and with how he was feeling lately he wasn't going to question something when he felt good around another living being. It was hard for him to feel like himself lately, he didn't know why but he felt most like himself with the teme and Sakura, or hanging out with Hinata.

He found her sitting with Tenten in the gardens.

"Really!? That's great!" Hinata exclaimed.

"I thought so too!" Tenten smiled and Naruto took a second to just look at the girls. It felt… peaceful. Smiling a bit he decided to break there moment as he walked up to them both.

* * *

Hinata looked up when she sensed him approaching. She hadn't even needed her Byakugan to know it was Naruto, there was just something about him when he was near her that grabbed her attention. She smiled up at him as he walked over to her an Tenten.

"Hey Hinata, hey Tenten!" he greeted them. She felt her cheeks warm as she smiled up at him.

"Hey Naruto, I got my shop!" Tenten announced. Hinata was excited for her friend, of course she was moving in the apartments above her shop and that was part of what they had been discussing. Also, apparently Lee and Guy would be moving in with her to help with the baby and the shop until she was able to stand on her own two feet and they could also stand on their own two feet and not fall over or be clobbered by Tsunade.

"That's great!" Naruto beamed as he sat with them.

"Yeah, hey, do you know what's up with the extra security around the village?" Tenten asked.

"The Kage summit is convening again." He said as he sat with the pregnant Tenten and Hinata.

"I didn't know," Tenten admitted.

"Is the Cloud here again?" Hinata asked uncertainly. Honestly; even despite the war, she wasn't entirely at ease around the Cloud-nin because of their desires for the Byakugan. And with Tenten pregnant with Neji's child (a child which would more than likely have the Byakugan), she didn't really want her friend walking around the village alone. Mostly for the baby's safety.

"They'll be arriving today, Gaara arrived this morning, that's when I got the boot," Naruto said.

"Oh, I have an appointment," Tenten announced startling her as she watched her friend slowly get up, Naruto was up to, Tenten stumbled a bit off balance and Hinata was relieved when he caught her.

"You alright?" Naruto demanded.

"Just off balance," Tenten said. "See you later Hinata!"

"Be careful Tenten!" she called back as she got up and watched her pregnant friend walk off.

"How's she doing?" Naruto asked her as they started walking off together, she didn't even notice it until she saw Kō there.

"Good days and bad, one moment Naruto," she said and hurried over to her childhood protector. "Kō, I need a favor," she whispered.

"Anything, what is it?" Kō asked.

"Can you go watch over Tenten, the Cloud is coming," Hinata said nervously. The man just nodded and left her and she hurried back over to Naruto. "She takes everything the doctors tell her to do to heart, but she keeps going."

"Well, she seems excited about getting her shop," Naruto mused.

"She's very excited about it, and she's making plans for a change," Hinata admitted softly as she smiled. It was good to hear Tenten making plans.

"Hey, want to go have brunch with me?" he asked.

"Certainly," she smiled. She would love to spend time with him, and he clearly wanted her company.

* * *

Naruto grinned as he walked with Hinata, she listened intently to everything he had to say and that was a nice thing because he was mostly bitching about how irritating it was that he couldn't be involved with the Kage summit. It was important and yet he couldn't even help, his frustrations with this was knowing no bounds as he filled Hinata in.

"Did you ever think that this exactly why they don't want you there?" she asked timidly.

"Yeah, which is the hurtful part of it," he sighed as they arrived at Ichiraku's.

"Perhaps Kakashi doesn't want you hurt by whatever it is they discuss, these summits are really important and political; everything is carefully said," Hinata pointed out to him. he frowned a bit as she helped him with his chopsticks.

"I figured, but still, it's… it's my best friends lives on the line and they want to review the sentencing! I'm frustrated!" he growled as he attacked the ramen.

"I would be too," Hinata said softly and he stopped his slurping to look at her, she blushed a bit. "If it were Kiba or Shino, or Hanabi I would be going insane with worry, but I wouldn't want to worry them by worrying around them."

"Huh," he blinked. He didn't really think like that, and he would admit it, but hearing someone say it had kind of put it in perspective for him. Still, it didn't stop the worry he was feeling. Even Kurama was grumbling to him about a few things, which didn't help his own worry as he looked at the ramen. He just wanted all this behind them. It would be easier to handle if it was behind them.

"How has everything else been going for you?" Hinata asked as they ate.

"Fine, my birthday's coming up!" he grinned.

"Really!?" she gasped.

"Yeah, the tenth, it's a week and a half away; I'm excited!" he admitted. Mostly he was excited to be around people he loved and loved him in returned. It was one of the best things about his birthday.

"Any plans?" she asked tentatively.

"Not yet, the teme, Sakura and I are hanging out tomorrow to celebrate but no… no plans," he reluctantly admitted. And when he thought about it he didn't know if there were going to be any plans with the Kage summit taking place at this moment.

"Hey, what are you doing then!?" he asked as an idea hit him. Hinata was a friend, he could enjoy the day with her if everyone else was too busy.

"Oh… training, nothing really, missions are suspended," she stammered and he grinned as he looked into those pearl eyes.

"Wanna hang out on my birthday!?" he asked eagerly.

"Uh… yes!" she breathed.

"Great! It'll be fun! We'll have a fun day!" he declared as he started mentally planning everything he intended to do on his birthday with Hinata. And everyone else should they come; but at least he was guaranteed to have hianta there to celebrate with him.

* * *

Hinata chuckled at his enthusiasim for she could not recall anyone aside from Hanabi being this excited about having her company. And even Hanabi had the bearing of polite edict so she couldn't be childish in her glee. But Naruto was cackling like he was forming an evil plot and promising her a fun day, she just smiled and savored the idea that some was openly excited about having her company.

"Hey, there he is!" a girl's voice sliced through their chatting as Naruto and she looked over his shoulder at the girls who were jogging towards them. There was a dark force in her which burned now as she frowned and turned her attention back to her ramen noodles.

She didn't like the fangirls, in fact she was coming to loath them for when they showed up. However, Naruto wasn't hers' and she tried to not react to these emotions of intense jealousy. Was this how Sakura felt with Sasuke? Or how Tenten had felt with Neji? She wondered briefly, probably not.

This painful, gut twisting, heart stabbing, burning feeling was something she didn't think either of those women had felt, and the worst part was she didn't have a right to feel it. Her face burned with this knowledge.

"So, like how did you like save the world!?" a perky, outgoing girl chirped.

Naruto launched into the story, emphasizing that Sasuke had helped him every other sentence and she sighed.

This perky, happy, beautiful young woman was probably the type Naruto would go for. The one who was outgoing, easy to talk with, and clung to his every word and action because he was a hero. Sighing she looked at her noodles and wondered why she couldn't have been less timid and more foreward.

'He's in love with the idea of Sakura, he's not in love with Sakura' rang in her head and she glanced at the girls who he was talking with and sighed.

This was probably true, and if he wasn't in love with Haruno Sakura then he wasn't in love with any of these girls either, that helped untwist her gut a bit. Naruto wasn't in love with anyone; yet, and she would just try to get him to notice her. Biting her lip she wondered how she was going to accomplish such a feat and decided to talk with Sakura or Tenten about this.

"Bye!" Naruto waved and she looked up to see the girls jogging off.

"They were… sweet," she forced out.

"Why does everyone think I saved the world alone!? If they knew what you did in the war I'm sure you'd have a horde of fanboys following you," Naruto huffed out indignantly. She chuckled.

"I doubt it," she mused and he blinked.

"Why? You're amazing Hinata!"

She felt her tongue go in knots and her face heat up to the point where she was certain there was steam coming from her ears.

"Hey, thanks for hanging out with me today," Naruto grinned as they continued to eat.

"Yeah, it's fun hanging out with you," she smiled. He blushed a little as he looked away and they continued eating the ramen and chatting.

* * *

 **ANNOUNCEMENT!**

 **THERE IS NOW A SIXTH UNTIL THE DAY I... STORY:**

 **UNTIL THE DAY I CONTINUE**

 **I started writing these little oddball spin offs from the main stories; for fun, and because there are so many Naruto characters that I want to touch up on. Now, if you read the other five stories then you know there are no instant couples, I am trying to follow the cannon line with as few deviations as possible, and is immediate post war life.**

 **Now, all of these little spin offs will be following the same guide lines, but on top of that, they will fall chronologically in line with the other Until the Day I… Stories. Mostly so I can keep track of everything, as the writer, which is important to know. Now, also know that I will take character requests for one shots, and I might even come back to the character later in these mini-series, so don't be shy to make requests. If I cannot do your request because of reasons, mostly life, I will tell you but I will be happy to try at another character or a pairing you'd like to see.**

 **Now, I don't mess with canon pairings or semi-canon pairings, but everything else is essentially fair game.**

 **Now for the current list of Until the Day I Continue I have here or intend to put here and their characters:**

 **-Until the Day I Find Serenity: [Neji & Tenten] (UtDIFS)**

 **If you have other requests tell me the character and I'll see what I can do.**

 **So send me a PM or a review!**

* * *

.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	26. Part 1: Chapter 26

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 26**

Setting today aside; because it was the day before the hearing he had decided that it was time to take his friends out for the day. He didn't really care about what the world thought of that, he just wanted to hang out with Sasuke and Sakura one last time, just in case there was no next time. Naruto didn't want there to be no next time but he was trying to accept the realities before him and he was trying not to lose it because he didn't want them to die, or leave. And it was tough to think that either of those options could be the coming reality as he walked up to Sakura's apartment.

Sakura pulled open the door when he knocked and he'd have sworn she had been crying.

"Hey Naruto," she smiled.

"Hey Sakura, I was wondering if you guys wanted to hang out today for a bit," he said as he looked behind her to the teme who looked a bit upset; or constipated depending on one's point of view.

"No, we'd love to, but first give me a moment," Sakura said.

"Sure," he smiled as she hurried off and he watched her disappear into her room. He scowled at the teme. "What'd you do to her!?" he hissed.

"This is not about you Naruto," Sasuke said coldly and Naruto felt like taking the frying pan on the stove to the teme's head just then but Sakura reappeared with a smile as she hurried towards them.

"Alright, ready to go," she said as she handed something to the teme as the teme pulled on the cloak Sakura had given him. Naruto was a bit envious of the teme for having Sakura's affections, but he shrugged it off as he smiled at Sakura and walked out of the apartment.

"How's everything with Kakashi going?" Sakura asked once they started walking and Naruto decided to take it light today since Sakura and the teme were upset as he launched into the most recent of his amusing antics while working in the Hokage's office.

It was the story of how he accidently ate Kakashi's lunch and Sakura was laughing happily.

"And I was like, well I didn't eat it, Kurama did!" he laughed as he remembered that incident Sakura nudged his ribs with her elbow as she laughed.

"I bet Kakashi gave you the thousand years of death jutsu!" she wheezed, he laughed remembering how he had bolted before Kakashi could catchi him.

"He didn't!" he defended then burst into hysterical laughter remembering Kakashi's evil eye as he ran. "I was already gone!"

"So the dobe can learn," Sasuke said lightly and Naruto laughed.

"I'm smarter than you think," he arrogantly declared as he smiled at his past triumph because it wasn't often one got past Kakashi.

"That's debatable," Sasuke mused.

"HEY!" he roared.

"Oh, here, an early birthday gift," Sakura suddenly announced and he blinked at the box she was handing him.

"Wow! Thanks Sakura," he emphasized pointedly. "That's what good friends do!" he turned his glare on the teme to see a box under his nose and the teme giving him a bland look.

"Oh." He managed. "You're still a terrible friend." He said blankly as he took the box.

"Aa," Sasuke nodded and Naruto grinned with glee as he pulled the boxes apart to get to his birthday gifts. It was nice that they had remembered his birthday at all. He was genuinely touched though when he pulled the boxes open to find a beautiful orange sweatshirt, and then a black mission jacket; both of which he knew cost an arm and a leg.

"Thanks teme! Sakura! I was going to need new clothes!" he smiled happily and saw Sakura smiling at him and the teme didn't look as constipated as earlier.

"Lemme guess, you out grew everything you had and Pain's Attack took out the rest of your bright wardrobe," Sakura teased.

"Kind of," he lightly mused. Mostly he hadn't had time to go shopping with all the work he had been doing with Kakashi.

"Idiot," Sasuke said then.

"Bastard!" he shot back.

"Loser."

"Homicidal Antisocial Bastard!"

"Imbecile."

"Pain in the ass!"

"I am willing to knock both your asses to Suna and back if you don't knock it off!" Sakura shouted from between them, he flinched when she shot them both the evil eye and he felt himself clutch his new jacket and sweatshirt tighter. She loved him, he knew she did, but he also knew that she could and likely would knock his ass to Suna and back if he and Sasuke continued picking on one another.

They continued chatting as they walked to Ichiraku's and he had to admit that he had never been so happy to have the teme and Sakura with him as they took their normal seats at the bar and ordered. He was enjoying the night with his friends.

"Oh my Kami! Look over there! It's Sasuke and Naruto!" a shrill voice shouted, he froze in abject terror as he slowly turned around to see the horde of girls coming towards him. Sasuke pulled Sakura towards him before Naruto had a chance to react.

"Did you really save the world!?"

"I heard you took on a thousand to one odds!"

"You're so handsome!"

"Who's she? Is she your girlfriend?"

"I am not his girlfriend!" Sakura shouted but he knew it fell on deaf ears as he smiled and started signing the scraps of paper shoved at him and answering the questions they asked of him in a hope that if he placated them then they'd leave him.

"AHH!" He heard Sakura and turned to see her being shoved off her stool as the bastard caught her.

"Enough!" Sasuke roared, everything went still and silent. "Leave!"

The fangirls were gone and Naruto looked at Sakura.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just overzealous fangirls," Sakura said as she took her seat again.

"I don't remember them being that vicious when they followed the teme around as kids," Naruto sighed as he looked at his ruined ramen which had been spilt by someone.

"Here you go, on the house," Teuchi said as they had new ramen placed before them.

"Thanks Teuchi! Delicious as always!" he grinned and started slurping his noodles.

* * *

Hinata had decided to take the evening out with her Team, alright Kiba and Akamaru, because they hadn't had a chance to hang out aside from that ruined lunch.

Well, she was disappointed Shino couldn't make it to a dinner out, but she understood when he said his family was speaking to their allies and he would possibly be put in an arranged marriage match. It wasn't uncommon but she thought him to be a little young. However, it was not her place to criticize his family's choice because the Aburame Clan had suffered massive losses in their ranks and were likely looking to rebuild their clan stronger than before.

It was also very possible that her own Clan might do something like that but she wasn't going to dwell on it too much as she walked with Kiba and Akamaru.

"How have you been lately?" Kiba asked her.

"Well, how about yourself?" she asked.

"I got a date this coming the Tuesday after the Kage summit!" he grinned and she gasped in a delighted shock for him. For all of his loud personality and strong presence he was rather shy where girls were concern if they were outside his team or family. She didn't know why but she had always thought it to be sweet, the brash, loud, and fun Kiba was shy with girls, it was really sweet.

"With who?" she asked eagerly.

"Well… Yamanaka Ino," he replied and she blinked.

"Ino?"

"Yeah, I've had a crush on her for forever, I mean come on, she's sexy, beautiful, gorgeous, and with that smell of hers! Kami she's like an angel, and I promised myself that if I survived the war I would ask her out. War does take more courage than asking a girl out, at least that's what I thought, and I decided to give it a shot. If she said no then she said no, but if she said yes then I could have a chance with her. Besides, she's pretty nice," Kiba said.

Hinata frowned a bit noting that Kiba had listed all the superficial reasons to date a girl like Ino. And there was no doubt in her mind that Kiba and Ino together was going to be like matches and explosives, or it would work.

"A-Are you certain you want to date her?" she asked uncertainly.

"Well, yeah, she's the prettiest girl of our generation," Kiba shrugged.

"But what if it doesn't work?" Hinata asked shyly. She didn't want to press her friend or break something that could work for him but still, she loved Kiba like he was her brother and she didn't want to see him hurt by Ino. Unlike Kiba, Ino knew exactly what she was doing and that scared Hinata because she didn't want whatever the fallout to be to hurt them or make her choose between her teammate and new friend, though she knew she would immediately back Kiba no matter what. He was always there for her and she would always be there for him.

"Then it doesn't work, but I don't think this is going to be serious," Kiba shrugged.

"Why not?"

"I'm eighteen Hinata, I don't think she's looking to get herself hitched to me; yet," Kiba chuckled and she blushed a little. "Besides, I really just want to try this out. I mean, I've never had a girlfriend."

"Then I'm happy for you Kiba, I really am," she smiled and he grinned.

"Thanks Hinata," he said. "You know, I'd have asked you out but I don't think that I want to date my teammate."

"I'm flattered," she mused lightly.

"Also I was told you had a crush on someone else," he said.

"B-B-By w-wh-who!?" she stammered as she gapped at her friend.

"Akamaru! He has a nose for these things you know," Kiba said as he affectionately patted the pony sized dog's head.

"R-Right," she chuckled nervously. She wasn't really ready for the entire village to know she had a thing for Naruto, it wouldn't do, and she knew it as she dragged a hand through her black hair and tried to calm her racing heart. She had thought Kiba didn't know about her crush; like Tenten had said, but it appeared he knew she had a crush, just not on whom she had said crush on.

"Hey, how's Hanabi doing?" he asked.

"Good, she's working at the Academy right now, they're short staffed and have asked the genin to help with the Academy students," she said.

"That's a bummer," Kiba huffed.

"She thinks so, how's Hana doing?" Hinata asked.

"Well, she hates the rehabbing that she's been doing but as Mom's been saying to her repeatedly 'No Pain, No Gain', also Shino's been visiting her a lot lately; did you know they were friends? I didn't!" Kiba sighed.

"They've been friends for a while Kiba," Hinata chuckled.

"Oh, hey, how's Tenten, I saw her that one time you were at the hospital, isn't she pregnant?" Kiba asked. Hinata sighed as she carefully thought up her answer for Kiba because she didn't want it advertised around the village for the Cloud to hear that there was an unwed woman carrying a baby who would probably have the Byakugan and she was vulnerable because she did not belong to a prestigious clan.

"She's fine, and yes she's pregnant, but she's fine, she's getting her weapons' shop and Lee and Guy are moving in with her for a bit," Hinata supplied.

"She actually slept with Lee!? That's a shock!" Kiba announced and Hinata chuckled lightly; leave it to Kiba she mused. "What does she see in that guy? I mean he wears that weird jumpsuit, has those creepy eyes and that hair cut! You're telling me that she didn't sleep with Neji instead!?"

"Kiba," she chuckled.

"What!? At least Neji was handsome, man girls' have weird tastes!"

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	27. Part 1: Chapter 27

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 27**

Naruto was irritated that he didn't know how Sasuke's trial going but he wasn't able to go near the Kage. Which was why he was staring out at the village as he sat on Hokage mountain and twitched a bit. He could talk to his dad, or even Kurama at this moment but he didn't want to because he was anxious. It wasn't helping that he didn't know what was going on with Sasuke, and he didn't dare to go near his best friend to demand to know what was going on with the teme and Sakura because he didn't want to lose his temper around them for Sasuke.

It wasn't fair, he deserved to be free! Sasuke was about the only reason they were able to save the world from the Infinite Tsukiyomi and it was because of Sasuke showing up with the Hokage that they had even been able to turn the tide of the battle in their favor. If he hadn't shown up they probably wouldn't have won the war at all; but he wasn't going to say the wouldn't have won because they were going to try even without Sasuke showing up to save their asses.

Sighing he stared out at the village when there was a sound behind him.

"Hinata?" he said when he saw her come to him.

"Hello Naruto, I thought you would like some company," she mumbled shyly and he smiled a bit.

"Yeah, I was… uh… hiding," he admitted as she sat beside him on the Hokage mountain. He was also up here partially to hide from the fangirl apocalypse which seemed to be following him around in the village since he had hung out with Sasuke and Sakura; and unlike the teme he wasn't going to be a prick to the girls and tell them to fuck off. No, he could adapt to his newfound fame, he could. It might take a bit of time but he figured that he could get used to having the girls following him, the people wanting his autograph and picture and having everyone's attention on him.

It wasn't that bad.

But it was a bit annoying that people wanted to change the truth of what happened and make it so he single handedly saved the world; which wasn't even close to the case. He would admit if he didn't have Sasuke's help he'd have been fucked.

"How is everything going?" she asked quietly.

"I just… it's… well," he started and then he growled at not being able to figure out how to put it into words how frustrated he was. "I don't want the teme to die, he's my best friend. I don't want Sakura to kill him and die because she's… she's my family.

"You know the really infuriating part of all this was she didn't even consult me about her offer, she just… gave her life to Sasuke and hasn't looked back. I had to find out from reading a report in Kakashi's office!" he shouted.

* * *

Hinata was confused for a moment then her eyes widened as it sunk in what Naruto was saying about Sakura and Sasuke.

Sakura would kill Sasuke; probably if he stepped out of line or something, and then she would be executed. Either way, Naruto would be losing two people rather than one and Kami knew he loved Sakura and he loved Sasuke. This had to be painful on him and she sighed, it was as if the world were doing nothing more than paining him.

But in a way she supposed Sakura had reasons for making this bargain. She had reasons for offering up her life like it was nothing. And Naruto probably wouldn't have listened to her reasons even if she had consulted him before making her decision.

"Naruto," she gently touched his shoulder and he sighed.

"I should have at least gotten a chance to talk to them, to talk to her before she offered her life with Sasuke's. She's my person, she's important to me and she gave me no thought in her decision making process, instead I had to read the transcripts to find out and Kakashi wouldn't talk about it.

"It's like I didn't matter to her at all," he sighed.

"Perhaps her decision had nothing to do with you," she offered softly and Naruto glared at the village before them.

"That son of a bitch doesn't deserve her life with his, he doesn't and I spent years making sure he didn't get to kill her and then she did that! How the hell am I supposed to be alright with that!?" he shouted.

"Naruto," she murmured.

He sighed.

"Sakura makes her own decisions, and she made this decision for a reason, perhaps you should respect that more than yelling at her," she murmured. He glanced at her.

"The teme will never understand just how precious she is, he won't care of she dies with him, he doesn't care about anyone but himself; and this… this was a stupid decision and Sakura's going to be hurt because of it!" he spat out.

"She's a big girl now Naruto, she'll take care of herself," Hinata pointed out softly. Naruto sighed again, Hinata stared out at the village sprawling before them in the crater of a valley now, and she sighed. There was so much pain and hurt here that she didn't know how to help Naruto. However, she had a feeling that she could probably understand Sakura's reason behind making this decision if they talked about it. And Hinata had a feeling she would offer the same thing if Naruto were the criminal and he was about to be executed.

But then again, it could be for completely different reasons than what she thought and she wasn't going to bring them up to Naruto when he was clearly very mad.

The wind tugged her hair and she looked at Naruto's profile then smiled to herself as she decided there was a way she could help him out.

"Naruto?" she murmured.

"Hm?"

"H-How would you like to go sparring?" she stammered and smiled shyly. He relaxed a bit as he grinned.

"That would be great," he decided and she nodded as she carefully stood up on the ledge she had been sitting on and made her way to the platform which would have them going down the stairs and heading for the training fields. Naruto walked beside her and she found herself following his route towards the training fields, she noted that they were going the long way and avoiding people in general.

They arrived to the training field and she looked around as Naruto seemed to be looking for someone.

"All clear, I don't want to deal with the fangirls right now," he admitted.

"Alright she submitted and smiled a bit at having him all to herself. It was a good feeling to know he wanted to hang out with her, or at least not have anyone else around. She would have loved the idea of having him all to herself but she knew that this wasn't a date or something and that wasn't the case.

Naruto came at her first, but she went low and she decided that this was an appropriate distraction for him. Naruto moved to strike and she moved to counter then. It wasn't as easy as it was four months ago when they had started this but it was still easier than it should have been as she ducked, dodged, weaved, evaded and slipped around him.

Guessing his rage was controlling him rather than his own self she hit vital points which had him toppling as she stood over him when he crashed in the grass.

"I guess I deserved that," he huffed out.

"This is training," she pointed out to him as he got back up then.

"Alright, I'll take this seriously, but you're going to have to keep up," he grinned. She fell into the traditional Hyūga stance for a fight and she was ready for him when he made his move. Naruto had speed, she knew that; he wasn't Sasuke fast, but Naruto was stronger than Sasuke she had found. Which was why she was prepared for all the power behind every move he made and she kept up with his speed.

Apparently all those sparring sessions she had attended with Naruto between himself and Sasuke were paying off as she moved fluidly in the fight and carefully landed her blows to knock the wind out of Naruto.

It didn't slow him down a lot but it was enough to keep him focused on the fact that this was a spar and not an all-out fight. She didn't want to be hurt by Naruto unintentionally because he went nuts and came at her with everything he had.

Though face it, that was more of a Sasuke thing than Naruto thing, but she was still careful with Naruto because his mind was elsewhere.

* * *

Naruto tried to focus on the fight at hand but it was hard to do because he was so damn mad at this moment.

He didn't understand why Sakura wouldn't at least talk to him before making that decision because he thought they were best friends, that after all the mud, shit and blood they had been through she would at least consult him before making a huge decision like that! And he was certain she hadn't talked to Kakashi or Yamato or even Sai before making that decision and that was the hurtful part.

She had cut them all out and hadn't even considered how they would feel if she died because she executed the teme and was executed after that.

Naruto wanted to hate her at the moment, but he wasn't able to.

That was the harder part, he couldn't hate her, he couldn't even be properly mad at her, and that was even more infuriating. Sakura was just this way, he had accepted it years ago, she was just this way, and it wasn't a crime, but it was a pain in the ass and it was hurtful which was why he was hurting.

Sakura… that was his family.

He could count on her, he could call her up and she'd drop everything and be there for him. Which was why he knew he could always count on her, he knew she had his back and there were no ifs, ands, or buts about that. But then she had gone and done this.

It was hurting him because he thought she would at least tell him, or at least explain to him why she had done that but nope. Until yesterday when he had smuggled the original transcripts out of the Hokage office he hadn't even known about her decision. Which was why it hurt because she hadn't told him or anyone!

Hinata landed a blow on his right, he stumbled but recovered quickly as he spun around to manage to kick her middle and sent her sprawling out on the ground.

"Are you alright!?" he demanded as he walked over to her to offer her a hand up.

"Yeah, just winded." She huffed out.

"Sorry about that," he said as she took his hand. He yelped when she pulled him to the ground and he found himself pinned.

"I win," she said triumphantly as she smiled, he chuckled.

"I deserved that," he sighed as she stood up and pulled him up.

"Yes," she agreed and then he saw her face going red, looking at their still holding hands he reluctantly let her go, it had felt good to hold her hand, and he hadn't wanted to let her go. But he did anyway.

"Are you alright?" she murmured.

"I don't know," he admitted and dragged a hand through his hair. He was so damn mad at this moment that he wasn't certain if he was or wasn't alright. It just… it sucked.

And he hurt that no one had talked to him about this.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	28. Part 1: Chapter 28

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 28**

Naruto's nervous energy was getting on her nerves today, and she could tell it was tensing Tenten and that was not good for her pregnant friend. Hinata knew Tenten needed to relax and Naruto's nervous behavior wasn't helping as he joined them for breakfast.

"Is there something happening today? He's awfully nervous," Hanabi whispered to her and Hinata sighed.

"Sasuke's being sentenced today," Naruto snapped. "He shouldn't even be on trial! I mean, he helped save the village and the world!" Naruto argued and she sighed as she shook her head to Hanabi to leave it be. She knew that this talk was pointless to try to have with Naruto because he was so stubborn on the matter. And very mopey, it was rather difficult to cheer him up or distract him.

"We do not discuss village on goings at the Hyūga breakfast table," her father snapped and she saw Naruto sink a little which had Hanabi chuckling. "Tenten, when is your next appointment with the doctor?"

"Uh… next week," she answered.

"There will be an escort with you as the Cloud remains in the village," Hiashi said and Hinata relaxed a bit.

Just because the Cloud claimed to be their ally did not mean they were to be trusted. After what happened to her as a child, and the price of that being her uncle she sincerely doubted her father was going to let the Cloud near Tenten or any of the prominent members of the Hyūga House.

"Uh… alright?" Tenten surrendered when Hinata nudged her reassuringly then. She would explain to Tenten later just why she would have an escort. This was not a discussion to have at the table though.

"Naruto, would you like to go sparring!?" Hanabi demanded eagerly. Naruto looked baffled for a moment and she smiled a bit, she knew Hanabi was irresistible once she decided to look and act cute. Hinata also thought it would be good for Naruto, perhaps having to teach someone to spar would help him with his one arm problem; at least that was one of the tactics she and Sakura had discussed.

"Sure," Naruto grinned and she smiled as she quietly continued eating. Breakfast was a quiet affair in the Hyūga house; as were all the other meals, which was why she was enjoying it as she finished her meal and left to get ready for a sparring day with Naruto and Hanabi.

"Why don't you talk to him?" Tenten asked, she spun when the door rattled to her room and she saw Tenten tentatively move her growing bump.

"About what?" Hinata asked as she pulled her hair out of the back of her shirt.

"About your feelings, I think your father saw them this morning," Tenten chuckled, she blushed a bit and smiled shyly remembering Naruto showing up at breakfast time asking to join. Her father had no doubt seen her blush, it was inevitable.

"I think… I think there's a time, and a place to admit to him I love him…" she said shyly. "And right now, it isn't the right time, he has too much on his mind, and his best friends could be executed, I just… not right now."

"Well you had better tell him Hinata, just because he's oblivious doesn't mean even he won't eventually notice them," Tenten smiled. She smiled in return. "Why am I not to be unescorted why the Cloud is here by the way?"

"Because they tried to kidnapped me, my uncle was killed in my father's place because my father killed my would be kidnapper, and they want a Byakugan. All of us would feel better if you were protected," Hinata explained softly. Besides, not even Hanabi was allowed to walk around here without an escort. It was better if they were all protected so as to not have another incident like that. Also, she didn't know how her family would handle having Neji's baby snatched. Probably not well.

"Oh, alright," Tenten conceded as she rubbed her growing belly.

"Twenty-two weeks right?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah, Sakura said to trust the growth measurements, she doesn't know why the chakra and growth rates are different but she doesn't think it's anything to worry about when my baby's growing fine," she said with a soft smile and Hinata chuckled.

"You're really happy about the baby now," she said softly.

"I am, it's my baby too, and once that sort of occurred to me it was… it was real," she admitted and Hinata smiled and nodded when Hanabi threw the door open.

"Come on onēsan! We need to go!" Hanabi declared excitedly.

"Well, duty calls," Tenten chuckled, Hinata squeezed Tenten's shoulder as she passed. "I'm going to Kurenai's, she's been… kind to me and Mirai's adorable."

"Have fun!" Hinata smiled genuinely and jogged after her little sister then. She saw Naruto waiting for them, he grinned, and she felt her heart skip a few beats as she jogged up to him and they left to go to training. It was rather nice to listen to Hanabi chatter away with Naruto and she found herself envying her little sister.

Not everything was easy for Hanabi, she knew this, but still, it was hard not to envy Hanabi when she was such a gregarious creature and wasn't shy about talking to anyone or being up front about her thoughts. Which was what Hinata envied because Hinata found she still had trouble conversing her thoughts with her friends and teammates.

"Alright, now, can you teach me the Rasengan!? You taught it to Konohamaru!" Hanabi demanded.

"I can try, I haven't been able to do it since I blew my arm off…" Naruto shrugged as he scowled at his flapping sleeve.

"Why'd you do that anyway; why not just kill Sasuke? He's a traitor of the Leaf," Hanabi asked and Hinata tensed at her innocent enough statement.

"Well… he's my brother in every way but blood," Naruto said. "Could you kill Hinata if she was the traitor and killer?"

"No."

"Then I think you've answered your own question," Naruto said softly.

* * *

Naruto worked all day, Hanabi had left after lunch because she had duties to attend to at the Academy and her escort had come for her. So that was why he spent the afternoon working with Hinata which was fun, he actually laughed a few times despite everything on his mind. Hinata was… soothing, to be around. He rather liked her quiet presence.

Still, he wasn't happy today, at least he wasn't until just now as he whipped around at that voice and saw them jogging towards them; he grinned.

"Hinata! Naruto!" Sakura shouted as she jogged towards them, Sasuke a beat behind her and he caught her in a tight hug then.

"He gets to live!" Sakura gleefully whispered.

"Thank Kami!" he shouted as he spun her around and set her down. Sakura was grinning and he smiled in return; if he didn't happen to know she'd kick his ass through a mountain he'd have kissed her in his joy. But he didn't dare to, because this was Haruno Sakura and she would kick his ass.

"Yeah, he's been sentenced to a life of redemption," she explained and the teme appeared behind her, Naruto watched at how Sakura seemed naturally fit against the teme as she stepped back to him.

"Well that's great! You can teach the Academy and we can run missions together again!" Naruto said gleefully as he leapt to hug the teme. Sasuke sidestepped him and he ended up tackling Sakura.

"Get off me Naruto! You're heavy!" she shoved him.

"I do not work for the Leaf dobe," Sasuke said as Naruto sat up on his heels.

"Huh?"

"I am a shinobi of the Allied Shinobi Forces, I am no longer a Leaf shinobi," he admitted and Naruto blinked.

"What!? What does this mean!? Of course you're a Leaf shinobi!" Naruto argued back and Sakura stood by Sasuke again, he looked them both over.

"No, I was sentenced to a life of redemptions working for the Allied Shinobi Forces, I am to rebuild civilian villages, hunt terrorists, and to do any mission assigned to me from any village," Sasuke said carefully.

"well, I guess that's alright, but hey, you'll be here," Naruto grinned.

"Actually Naruto… he's leaving, tomorrow morning," Sakura said softly and Naruto stiffened.

He felt like he had just been creamed by a Tail Beast Bomb now, it hurt. It was crippling. He had just gotten his best friend and practically brother back and now he was… he was… he was leaving! Again! The pain of that was staggering as he stared between the teme and Sakura who was standing there looking at him. Naruto couldn't believe this, he felt a slim hand on his shoulder and felt Kurama relax a bit. It was clearly Hinata touching him, trying to calm him, but the rage he felt boiling up in his veins was explosive. There was no containing it as it hit the surface now.

" _ **YOU'RE LEAVING!?**_ " He roared in disbelief.

"Aa," Sasuke said.

" _ **Even After Everything We've Been Through You're Leaving! AGAIN!? What the hell is the matter with you teme! We just got you back, you can't just fucking up and leave us!**_ " Naruto shouted. He was feeling betrayed as the pain from the first time Sasuke left filled him. the bastard had left, he had broken Sakura's heart and Naruto could never forget that! And the pain of that first leaving and every encounter afterwards was not something he had forgotten either.

"Aa, it is… it's for the best Naruto," Sasuke said uncertainly.

Naruto's frame was shaking with rage as he glared at the teme who was looking sincere in this.

" _ **I thought you had changed, I thought you were different this time teme, I guess I was wrong. You're still just some fucking asshole who doesn't care about anyone but himself!**_ " he shouted. Sasuke flinched, and Naruto snarled. " _ **What about Sakura!? Did you even think about how this was going to hurt her!? Or me!? I thought we were friends again, brothers again! I thought you understood what that bond meant! But you're leaving us again!**_ "

"Don't drag me into this Naruto!" Sakura shouted, he blinked as he looked at her. "This is something Sasuke needs to do, and he is alright with this. This has nothing to do with you!" she shouted back.

"Sakura," the teme touched her then.

"No, he's going to hear this because you're not hurting me by leaving this time! You're not and I won't let him make this about him!" she snapped at Sasuke. Naruto blinked and he felt Kurama tremble a bit when Sakura's green gaze settled on him with an angry fire lighting her eyes. Now was a good time to run.

" **This is NOT about you Naruto! Not everything in this world is about you or what you want, Sasuke has decided this is something he needs to do and as his friend you should be supporting him! It's been just as hard; if not harder, on him than you and you've continuously turned this around to be about you! I'm done with it! I love you Naruto, I love you like a brother, but Kami are you acting like a spoiled brat!** " she shouted. " _ **Sasuke feels he should do this, and this is a lenient sentence compared to him dying! Did you ever think about that! can't you just be happy he's alive!?**_ "

" _ **He's just running away again!**_ " Naruto roared back at Sakura for her every word had hit something him him and had hurt.

" _ **Enough!**_ " Sasuke shouted and he flinched as he looked at the teme then. "I see that this was a mistake, I'm going home, I have to leave tomorrow."

"I'll go with you," Sakura said.

" _ **YOU COWARD!**_ " he shouted after Sasuke as they walked away from him. " _ **YOU'RE JUST RUNNING AWAY AGAIN! I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT!**_ " he screamed.

"Naruto," Hinata whispered. He growled as he stalked the other direction away from Sasuke and Sakura. Part of him knew Sakura was right about this, but it didn't stop his anger as he started running away from the training field. Was it supposed to hurt this much? Losing both Sasuke and Sakura again?

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	29. Part 1: Chapter 29

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 29**

Naruto was so mad that night he didn't sleep a wink. Sakura's words had hurt, they had hurt just as much as the teme leaving but…

But he was guessing her to be right.

And that was the humiliating part, it really was; Haruno Sakura was right about everything she had shouted at him. This wasn't about him, it was about Sasuke, and though that was a hard thing to comprehend, it was harder to think that she was alright with this. He was aching about the news, Sasuke was leaving.

They had just gotten him back, and the teme was leaving!

Naruto sighed as he stared up at the sky from his perch on Hokage Mountain. He didn't know how to feel about this, but he felt betrayed, he felt hurt, and he felt used, it was like what he had to say or think on the matter of his best friend essentially being exiled, didn't matter to anyone. And it was confusing. One would think that the world would want his opinion because he had needed the teme's help to save the world. Sighing he rubbed his face and sat up.

"What would you do dad?" he asked the silent stone face of his father.

"Let him go," Kurama answered then and he straightened up. "The Uchiha has accepted his fate, let him take his fate."

"It's not that simple, Sasuke's like my brother!" Naruto argued.

"Isn't it that simple, he wants to go, he should go. I do not even like the Uchiha and I know this!" Kurama snapped and Naruto sighed.

"Fine! Fine! But I still think it's wrong! Sasuke shouldn't leave the village," Naruto snapped as he leapt towards his apartment.

Fumbling with the key he stumbled in exhausted, emotionally drained and mentally spent. Shutting the door he dropped the key where it went and he looked around his place. Pulling off his sweatshirt he walked to his closet and saw the box of stuff his supper had returned to him and he sighed as he struggled to pick it up then sat on the bed. Pulling open his box of things he blinked as he was faced with something he had forgotten about.

Sasuke's slashed headband.

He sighed.

Fine, just fine, Sasuke wasn't going to be staying, and though he wasn't alright with that decision. Why should he be? That was the best friend he had been chasing to get back for years; YEARS; so why should he be alright with Sasuke leaving?

But he guessed that Kurama and Sakura were right, this wasn't about him. It was about Sasuke, and he didn't factor into this decision. Perhaps he could keep Sasuke as a brother, but right now, now it was time to let go of the friend he had had. And that hurt as it stabbed him in the chest, and twisted him up. There were tears welling up in his eyes as he squeezed them shut and fell back on his bed.

This wasn't fair!

* * *

Hinata had given up after an hour of waiting for Naruto at the training field, he wasn't coming back; that much was clear. No doubt she'd see him later, he wasn't likely to leave the village, but right now he was gone. No, he wasn't gone, he needed space, her mind whispered.

It didn't matter, the point was she wasn't going to sit there waiting for him when he wasn't coming back tonight. Reluctantly she got to her feet and headed home. Walking the quiet streets of the village she thought about what had unfolded for Team 7 and decided that she was truly happy she was not on that team where everything was so muddled at the moment. She didn't know how she'd feel if it were Shino or Kiba who was practically being exiled. At least, that was what she understood of the sentence before the yelling match had started. Sighing she stared up at the starry night, she hoped that Naruto would be alright, she did, she didn't want him to be hurt by this.

"Onēsan!" a cheerful voice shouted and Hinata turned just as Hanabi came running after her. An involuntary smile tugged at her lips as she saw her little sister.

"Evening Hanabi," she nodded.

"Where's Naruto?"

"Naruto is out… clearing his head," Hinata said uncertainly as they walked.

"Oh, I thought he'd be confessing his undying love for you by now," Hanabi teased.

"Hanabi! That is no way to speak to an elder!" she scolded lightly. It wasn't that like her younger sister actually understood what she was implying. Also, her father had no idea she was in love with Naruto so she felt her love of Naruto was safe from true scrutiny at this moment.

"But I'm not speaking to an elder I'm speaking to my onēsan who's in love," Hanabi giggled and Hinata glared at the girl.

"And what do you know of love?" Hinata asked the younger.

"Nothing, just you got it bad," Hanabi giggled.

"I do not have it bad!" she argued.

"Sure you do, you swoon, you sigh, you blush, and you smile; you have it bad onēsan," Hanabi chuckled.

"Hinabi, those are clichés about love," Hinata chided.

"I know, but they're true for you and Naruto," Hanabi giggled.

"Don't be ridiculous," she scolded.

"I'm not, he likes you even if he doesn't know it," Hanabi said solemnly. Hinata's heart raced at the idea of him liking her and she felt her cheeks heat up at the thought as well. She would be happy if he cared about her as something more than a friend, but she did not think that was likely to ever happen since he was in love with Sakura.

Or, rather, he thought himself to be in love with Haruno Sakura. There were times that Hinata wanted to hate the pinkette, she did envy Sakura. Sakura had the love and affections of Naruto, and… and it was something Hinata wanted more than anything in the world. She wanted Naruto's love, she wanted his attention, she wanted his affections. But she had seen that Sakura saw Naruto as nothing more than brother and teammate. They were probably best friends too, but still, despite Sakura not reciprocating the feelings for Naruto that Naruto had for her, the point was that Naruto had feelings for Sakura.

She sighed again.

"You're doing it again," Hanabi said happily.

"I am doing nothing!" Hinata argued.

"Sure you are, you're thinking of Naruto, and that's making you sigh, and swoon, and blush!" Hanabi giggled.

"You're impossible," she scolded as they walked into the Hyūga home then.

"No, you just need to be more honest about your feelings for him," Hanabi firmly stated.

Hinata flinched internally, she had been very honest about her feelings once. She had stood before Naruto and Pain and fought like hell to try to save Naruto, and no one besides Sakura had noticed that she loved him. She had confused her love, she had confessed her emotions to him, she had argued with him, and he… he had never even acknowledged her love of him or her confession to him of how important he was. It had hurt so much to not be rejected, but rather for him to not even acknowledge her.

"It is not as simple as you think Hanabi," she assured her younger sister. "And when you fall in love I hope you realize that there is more to loving another than what you desire."

"Onēsan, that is sweet, but if you never fight for the one you love, you'll never get him," Hanabi assured her.

"I guess that could be true," she sighed. And she looked up when they walked into the dining room where their father was speaking with Tenten.

"Good evening father," she greeted as she bowed a bit to her father and took her place at the table.

"Hello father," Hanabi greeted.

"Where you not training with Uzumaki this evening?" Hiashi asked her.

"He received some news and will not be joining us for dinner," she said softly and Hiashi blinked waiting for her to elaborate and she continued. "The Uchiha was sentenced today, he is not taking the news well. He needs time to himself," she explained.

"Sasuke was sentenced to death!?" Tenten gasped.

"No! No!" she shook her head vigorously then. "Uchiha Sasuke has been sentenced to a life of redemption, he is essentially exiled. He will be an agent for the Allied Shinobi Forces rather than just the Leaf," she hastily explained.

"That's good though, Sasuke gets to live," Hanabi pointed out.

"But the Uchiha is not in the village," Hinata explained. "Sasuke is his best friend and practically his brother. He is hurt by this decision."

"I understand, but it must be a relief to him, Sakura, Kakashi and Sai that Sasuke gets to live at all," Tenten said softly.

"I don't know, that is for him to decide," Hinata murmured as she was served her dinner.

* * *

Waking up before dawn Naruto got up and left the village. He wouldn't say his goodbye with Sakura and Kakashi there to censor everything he had to say to Sasuke. Just because he was forced to accept this decision did not mean he had to be nice about it. There were so many things he had to say to the teme and he wouldn't be interrupted by Sakura or Kakashi to be nice about what needed to be said.

Walking towards a tree for shelter he propped himself up against the tree and closed his eyes as he carefully thought about everything he wanted to say to the teme. Not everything was going to be nice, but he was going to speak with the teme before he was gone.

The slashed head protector was heavy in his hand and pocket as he closed his eyes and slipped into a meditative state while waiting. His ear twitched as Kurama roused at the sound of footsteps. It was the teme, and he knew if the teme was trying to be silent he would make no noise at all.

"I did not think you would come," Sasuke said and Naruto opened his eyes as he looked at the dobe and every mean thing he had to say was knocked out of him.

He looked away then and tried to find the words he wanted to say.

"You're still at this?" Sasuke asked. Naruto said nothing.

"As my friend you fought to stop me, to the point that you last an arm. And thanks to you I was saved," Sasuke said coldly and he sighed then as he looked at the teme.

"We, who used to squabble and fight over every little thing, are now able to share the pain n each other's hearts. During my journeys around the world I though to myself that this feeling might not exist between us. But it might even apply to even more things… bigger and greater things. But not everyone is able to do the things you can, and it probably won't always go as planned either. Just look at how we turned out.

"And with bigger things it'll only get harder," Naruto said and they looked at one another for a long moment. "I'm returning this," he said as he pulled the head protector from his pocket then and held it out to Sasuke.

"I'll hold onto this, until we can finally, really, settle things between us," Sasuke assured and Naruto smirked a bit at the thought but sobered up as he thought of yesterday.

"I, I didn't mean what I said yesterday," he said quickly.

"I know," Sasuke said as he walked away from him. "And I've said worse, dobe."

"Teme!" he called out. Sasuke never slowed and he sighed, it was really goodbye this time. He'd leave them on a good terms. "Take care!" he shouted.

Sasuke stopped and glanced at him.

"You as well, loser," he replied and Naruto smiled as he watched Sasuke go before walking back towards the village. So everything between them wasn't fixed, but he could live with them parting on good terms. That was better than when Sasuke had just left after they tried to kill one another. This time he had gotten to say a real goodbye.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	30. Part 1: Chapter 30

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 30**

Naruto sighed as he walked back to the village, and he didn't look back because then he was liable to drag the teme's sorry ass back to the village and tie him up so he had to stay. He looked up as he neared the gates and saw Kakashi there waiting for him, reading one of his Icha Icha books. The Sixth Hokage looked up at him then and he sighed as he walked over to Kakashi.

"Was he really sentenced to redemption as an Agent of the Allied Shinobi Forces and forced to leave or was it his decision?" Naruto asked as he stuffed his hand in his pocket.

"It was his sentence Naruto, and it was the only way the council was willing to let him live, and the Kage agreed he was too valuable to kill off. The Leaf's council still disavowed him, he still reports solely to the Hokage though and the other Kage as well, he is not of any village, but he will have ties to the Leaf, always," Kakashi said.

"And… and Sakura was alright with it?" he asked uncertainly remembering the shouting match where she only got made when he pulled her into the fight.

"She supported it completely," Kakashi replied evenly. "Naruto, I don't claim to know everything that goes on between you and Sakura, wouldn't even try to claim that if I could. But you should know that she has been torn between trying to be there for you and for Sasuke, and while she did pick Sasuke over you it wasn't because she loved him more than you or for whatever reason you're thinking so let that go. She picked Sasuke over you because you have people to rely on, and Sasuke had no one, and you create expectations for what you want to have happen."

"Is that bad?" he spat out. He was getting peeved with everyone knowing what was best for him, and they weren't tell him. "Is it bad to have expectations?"

"No, but, just so you know, Sasuke would have never reached them even if he tried. You were expecting too much of him, and Sakura knew it; that was why she picked him over you," Kakashi said.

Naruto flinched a little at that statement and he sighed.

"Everything was supposed to go back to normal when he came back, everything was supposed to be good, and Team 7 was supposed to be whole again; you, me, Sakura and the teme," Naruto pointed out.

"And what of Yamato and Sai?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto's eyes widened at the mention of the two other teammates he had forgotten about in his glee to have Sasuke back in the village.

"You have good intentions Naruto, you have a big heart, and a kind heart, you are strong willed and a good friend. But there are times when carelessly overlook what is in front of you and you create these unrealistic expectations of how things are supposed to be. And that's alright, but in this case you would have been hurt, and you would have hurt Sasuke, Sakura moved to prevent that." Kakashi said. "Now, I have meetings to be at, and you have training to do."

"I'm not apologizing to her!" Naruto snapped.

"I never said you should, but I think you should think about this for a while," Kakashi said as he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Naruto scowled a bit.

He wasn't a spoiled brat, and he wasn't making it all about him and that was the infuriating part about Sakura. She just didn't get it! She didn't even try to get where he was coming from, he didn't didn't get why she was still all about Sasuke! Sasuke always hurt her and Naruto was always the one helping her pick up the pieces and enduring her when she finally broke.

Sighing he walked towards his apartment, he was just going to sleep today, he wasn't going to train or eat ramen or anything, he was just going to take the day and straighten out his head. That's what he was going to be doing and he wasn't going to stress about how Sakura was feeling. No, he wasn't.

Naruto would not be the one making up with her first this time, she would have to come to him and that was final. Sakura had hurt him with every well place word, and he knew she had purposely aimed to hurt him to get the point across. She was vindictive at times, and he wasn't going to forgive her right now.

Nope.

He walked into his apartment and sighed.

Maybe on some level Sakura was right about this, he wasn't handling it well and he had made it more about him than what Sasuke needed. But come on! they had been best friends/rivals since they were kids, that wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, so why shouldn't he be upset about Sasuke essentially being exiled!? Wasn't she upset about this?

He fell on his bed, kicked his shoes off then as he rubbed his eyes then looked at his deflated sleeve where his right arm should be.

Fuck.

This all sucked. His relationship with Sakura was a mess, and she was one of his most solid relationships, and his life was turned upside down, he was down an arm, the world thought him to be some sort of solo hero, and he had lost his best friend; again, to his desire for something and leaving the village. Glaring at the ceiling Naruto wondered if there was possibly anything else his life would like to fuck up while he was on this path.

The good news was after the Kage summit was completed; which was probably going to be by the end of the week, he could return to shadowing Kakashi and learning to be the next Hokage; because he wasn't giving up on that dream.

Still, he was just… he was tired, tired of all the drama.

* * *

Hinata was walking through the market collecting groceries. Tenten was back at the compound, and until the Cloud was gone she was staying there. Hinata knew that there was no way her family was going to risk Neji's only child. Neji had changed a lot within her clan, and for as much they had hated him for pointing out the injustices within their clan, they had loved and cherished him for standing up for the lesser houses of the Hyūga clan. It was rather admirable.

Good Kami did she miss Neji! It was a never ending, dull ache; rather like a tooth ache but without the sensitivity.

She looked up when she saw Kurenai walking through the market with Mirai on her back.

"Hello Kurenai-sensei," Hinata smiled as she walked over to the older woman.

"Oh, hello Hinata, I didn't see you," Kurenai said swiftly and Hinata smiled as she touched Mirai's cheek, the baby stared at her with large red eyes and Hinata felt… at peace looking at the baby.

"How have you and Mirai been?" she asked as she looked away from the baby who was resting on her mama's back.

"We have been well, Tenten's been a huge help when she's around," Kurenai said as they started walking. "Mirai has started crawling, and she's a handful and into everything."

"I have heard that babies are very active once they start moving," Hinata mused.

"It depends on the child, at least that is what they told me, it'll be good when Tenten has her baby, Mirai will have a playmate."

"So you and Tenten intend to keep in touch?" Hinata asked.

"Yes, single mothers need support, if I hadn't had Shikamaru, you, Kiba, Ino, Shino, and Chōji I would have been very overwhelmed with my baby." Kurenai explained softly. "Asuma would have loved her."

"He'd have adored her," Hinata admitted as they walked through the market. "Are you still in touch with the Sarutobi Clan?"

"Yes, they paying monthly support for Mirai and they cover her medical expenses. When the clan is straightened out I intend to speak to them about her going into the Academy," Kurenai explained.

"You still wish for her to be a shinobi?" she asked uncertainly.

"I think she should have a choice, I was a shinobi, my father was a shinobi, her father was a shinobi, her cousin is a shinobi, her grandfather was Hokage, she should have a chance to decide if she wishes to be a shinobi or not," Kurenai said softly.

"I did not think that after what happened with Asuma you would…" Hinata trailed off awkwardly.

"What? Want her to be a shinobi? No, I very much want her to have a choice, because if I choose she will live the quiet life of a civilian, but it is for her to decide, it is her life," Kurenai said softly.

"I think she will be an excellent kunoichi," Hinata mused as the baby grabbed her finger and started gumming it. She chuckled at the cuteness of that wild black haired baby munching on her finger.

"I believe she will too, and that terrifies me," Kurenai said softly.

"Mirai will be strong like her father, an she will be smart like her mother," Hinata predicted as she gently withdrew her finger from Mirai's grasp. "Also, Tenten intends to let her baby chose to be a shinobi or civilian."

"I didn't know," Hinata stammered.

"That is alright, but Mirai and Tenten's child will be classmates, perhaps not having fathers will bond them," Kurenai said softly.

"Or perhaps they will be kindred spirits," Hinata chuckled.

"Or that, but Hinata, thank you, for everything you have done for my family and for Tenten," Kurenai said gently.

"Of course, thank you for having believed I could make a good kunoichi," Hinata said softly and she looked over her shoulder at seeing some Cloud-nin coming towards her. "I have to leave," Hinata said briskly and paid for her food as she hurried away.

Every Hyūga was careful around the Cloud; their blatant kidnapping of her as a child had forever shattered the Hyūga trust in the Cloud and it had her hurrying home before there could be an incident which would have her confronting them again.

Once back at the Hyūga compound she walked to the kitchen and put the food away before hearing feet come running towards her.

"Onēsan! I have great news today!" Hanabi shouted as she came leaping into the kitchen and took her perch nimbly on the counter space as she grinned happily.

"What is it?" Hinata asked.

"The genin no longer have to work and learn at the Academy, missions have been resumed and I get a mission tomorrow!" Hanabi declared happily.

"That is fantastic news," Hinata admitted as she continued putting the groceries away. "Have you told father yet?"

"No, father had to leave this morning for a meeting with the Taketori Clan, they are trying to back out of the trade agreement, and father is hoping to seal a permanent alliance between the Hyūga House and the Taketori House, it will be a profitable alliance between the Houses," Hanabi explained in a stern tone that was more adult like than child like, and it again reminded Hinata that her sister had once been the heir of the house.

"Is there anything else father was doing while he was out?" Hinata asked.

"Well, he was going to start preparing for the Celestial Ritual, you know, the secret one he and the other members of the house disappear for," Hanabi said conspiritorily.

"Hanabi, you will not be spying on it, so do not think about following father," Hinata warned. "But why are the preparing for the Celestial Ritual now? It's only October, and the Rinne Festival happens in December," Hinata asked.

"Because, it is the way the Hyūga Clan does things," Hanabi mocked in their father's tone. "I think it's ridiculous, there's no man on the moon who we need to thank for peace on Earth, ridiculous," Hanabi dismissed.

"Perhaps, but there is a reason for the ritual Hanabi, and put the apple down, you will not be spoiling your supper," Hinata chide and saw the younger pout. She chuckled as she finished putting the groceries away and offered to go sparing with Hanabi.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	31. Part 1: Chapter 31

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 31**

By the end of the first week of Sasuke being gone Naruto was worried; he hadn't seen hide nor hair of Sakura, and while he refused to be the one to apologize this time, he couldn't help but worry. To go a week without seeing Sakura was a reason to be concerned. He had even stopped by her parents' bakery and they hadn't seen her. When he had asked Kakashi he was told he hadn't seen her, Tsunade, or Shizune so he shouldn't worry but he did.

Which was why he stood outside of a plain door this October morning and hesitantly raised his hand to knock on the door. His ears twitched as he heard movement inside of the apartment then the door was opened and he saw the exhausted inky black eyes of Sai.

"Hey Sai," he grinned.

"Uh… come in?" Sai said as he stepped aside. Naruto walked in and kept his hand shoved in his pocket as he looked around Sai's new apartment. He hadn't ever really come over to Sai's place, but the last time he had been here it had been full of paints from floor to ceiling, littering his table, walls, stacked up everywhere, all title-less and all very well done.

"Um…" he started as he saw his tired friend move through the apartment. "I just…" he started and sopped at an image of Team 7 painted and pinned on the wall, it had traitor, himself, Sakura, Kakashi, Yamato and Sai in it.

"What is it dickless?" Sai asked as he toyed with the coffee maker. Naruto shook his head to get his wits about him then as he took a seat at Sai's battered table.

"Sakura and I sort of got in a fight and now she's avoiding me or not talking to me or something," he admitted and thanked Sai as Sai handed him a white mug filled with coffee before sipping it.

"Ugly is very busy at the hospital, I doubt she's avoiding you," Sai said and Naruto blinked.

The hospital!? Really, Sasuke just left and she leapt back into her life as if nothing was bothering her!? No doubt she was a wreck now that Sasuke was gone, she was always a wreck after Sasuke left, but to hear that she had just gone back to work rather than taking time off like she usually did was… baffling to hear.

"She is?" he squeaked and winced as he burnt his tongue on the coffee.

"Yes, Tsunade and Shizune have work for her, she is also starting a child's clinic," Sai explained.

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief at hearing she was at least a little alright if she was working but he was still pissed at her and he was not going to be the one apologizing to her. Nope, not this time, he avowed as he scowled at the coffee then.

"Also, you and Ugly fight all the time, you'll just make up like always," Sai pointed out and Naruto frowned a bit as he recalled the words they had both shouted at one another.

"Yeah… I don't think so, not this time. I think we both crossed lines we weren't supposed to cross," he admitted and he saw Sai's eyes narrow on him. But Naruto wasn't going to lie to Sai about everything that had happened even if he didn't say what the argument was about.

"Dickless, you will patch things up with Ugly," Sai ordered and Naruto downed the coffee; wincing at the burn.

"Sai, this time she has to apologize," he stated firmly as he scowled at the mug.

"According to Beautiful women are always right. So you should just go apologize to her before her anger is worse," Sai stated.

"No!" he hissed. "And since when did being a girl make her right!?"

"That was my question as well seeing as how genitalia do not have anything to do with arguments but women are always right, and very confusing," Sai said with a baffled look.

"You got that right," Naruto agreed; women were confusing as hell, especially Sakura.

"Just go talk to Ugly, you will feel better," Sai said again.

"Sai, she cares more about Sasuke than what I felt so… no," he snapped back.

"Now you are just being childish, Ugly loves you both, in different ways, and she loves me. She doesn't always choose Sasuke over you, as well. I remember her lying to you to go kill Sasuke and free you of a promise to her," Sai said and Naruto frowned at that particular memory being dredged up. Not Sakura and his' finest moment in life, and it was an infuriating memory because she said she loved him. That lie of hers' had hurt like hell.

"That wasn't, that wasn't what happened," he said.

"Isn't it? Ugly told you she loved you, and ran off to go kill Sasuke while you were safe. She does choos you over the traitor often Naruto, but this time she chose the traitor," Sai pointed out.

"You know, you're pointless to talk to," he sighed. He hated remembering when Sakura would say she loved him and then she would admit to him that she didn't love him. It just… it hurt, and it confused him; especially when he loved her and wanted her to love him. And one of his nightmares was her saying she loved him, then laughing as she walked off with another guy leaving him behind; and it was usually a random guy, not Sasuke. He could live with the nightmare if Sasuke was the guy she ditched him for.

"You came here."

"Sai could you… could you just keep an eye on her, you know; make sure she's really alright?"

"No. I have other tasks to work on, and Ugly is perfectly capable of taking care of herself as you should know."

Naruto sighed in defeat at having to argue with the emotionally stunted Sai. Even Kurama felt like banging his head against a wall.

"Worthless," Naruto huffed out.

"I do not see how I am the worthless one when I am not the one who had had a fight with Ugly."

"You could just be a good friend to her or try!" he snapped.

"Ugly already told me I have been a great friend to her, perhaps you should go talk to her." Sai stated and Naruto rolled his eyes as he gave up having this conversation.

"Fine! Fine!" he surrendered as he stood up. "But I'm not apologizing to her!" he shouted and stormed out of the apartment in frustration at the roundabout talk he and Sai had just had.

* * *

The conclusion of the Kage summit was coming soon, she knew that with how the village was acting, and she had a feeling there was going to be big news about this but what it was she didn't know yet. Not that it mattered to her as she pulled on a lumpy, warm sweater, pulled her long hair back and walked out of the compound to meet up with Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru. It was just going to be a lunch, a catch up between them and she was going to have a good day out.

Hanabi was off on a genin mission involving a cat, and her father was still in negotiations with the Taketori clan. Also, Tenten had agreed to take care of Guy and Lee, and the three of them were looking for avalible property today so Tenten could open a weapons shop. The one important key in that plan was that it had wheelchair access for Guy. She shivered a bit as the brisk October breeze ripped through her and she pulled her sweater a little tighter around herself as she continued to the restaurant she was meeting her team at.

"Hello Hinata," Shino said when she saw him and jogged up to his side.

"Hello Shino, how have you been?" she asked as they moved through the streets together.

"Unwell, why you ask; I will tell you: I hate the coming cold," Shino said.

"I'm sorry," she admitted.

"The Aburame Clan is preparing for winter now," Shino admitted.

"That's a lot of work," she admitted as they walked together.

"Yes it is, why you ask? It is because our underground facilities have not been fully and properly rebuilt," Shino grumbled.

"Do you need help?" she asked.

"No, the Aburame Clan will fix our own warm storage," he said. She nodded understanding the importance that the Aburame Clan have a safe facility for their beetles, and bugs; it was unheard of an Aburame working in winter; even as genin she could not recall a single time Shino went with them on a winter mission unless it was to somewhere warm. "What of the Hyūga Clan?"

"We're preparing for the traditional things," she admitted as she walked with him.

"Hey guys! Man, do you take forever to get here!" Kiba shouted over the crowd, she chuckled at him and saw him waiting for them as they neared and Akamaru thumped his tail as he raised his head and barked.

"Hello Kiba," she smiled as she walked into the restaurant door he had opened for her.

"We are here on time, why you" Shino started.

"Come on, the food is awesome here! I'm thinking about bringing Ino here for our date," Kiba shouted as they hurried in, she chuckled at seeing Shino's disgruntled expression but interest at hearing Ino's name mention in the same sentence as a date.

"You finally asked Yamanaka Ino out?" Shino asked as they were all seated.

"Yeah, I figured I survived war, I could ask a girl out," Kiba pointed out.

"That is a valid and smart point," Shino mused.

"Thank you," Kiba chuckled smugly.

"And she agreed to this idiocy, I guess she is not as smart as I thought," Shino said blandly. Hinata chuckled at Kiba's outrage at that comment but it was amusing as she sat there and quietly ordered her tea while Kiba gleefully filled them in on all the ongoings for the Inuzuka Clan. It was time to prepare for breeding so there'd be puppies in spring. They were starting their matches for the bitches and studs. Hinata didn't find the process all that interesting, but she knew it was important to Kiba as he explained it in full detail.

"What about the Taketori clan though!? I heard that with Neji dead the negotiations were in jeopardy," Kiba announced halfway through their lunch.

"Oh… um, I'm not certain, they were looking at an alliance in marriage with Neji, but now they've learnt about Tenten and think we never intended to honor our bargain," Hinata explained quickly. She had learnt all this from Kō who had sat with her for an entire afternoon after her and Hanabi's talk and explained everything she needed to know now that she was the clan heir again.

It was amazing how much she had missed since her time with Kurenai, she hadn't ever really thought it important either since her disownment, but she was very wrong now.

"But I thought Neji and Tenten were a secret?" Kiba admitted.

"How did your nose miss it?" Shino asked.

"Are you serious? We can't always distinguish relationships on scents alone, take Hinata for example, she always smells of you, me, Akamaru, and lately she smelled a lot like Naruto, our noses can't always define relationships! Especially with people who hang out with one another all the time, in fact, I can still smell Neji on Tenten, Lee and Guy, it's faint but there," Kiba argued.

"It's not important, I don't think Neji would have married anyone but Tenten," Hinata admitted.

"Hey, has Tenten opened Neji's will yet?" Kiba asked.

"Not that I know," she admitted. She hadn't even peeked at the will with her Byakugan either. Something which had been very tempting.

"She should," shino mumbled.

"That is for her to decide, I know father approved of it though," she admitted and continue eating. They all laughed, joked, and when the lunch was coming to an end they agreed to do this once a month from now on. she scratched Akamaru's ears, waved at Kiba and Shino before walking towards the Hyūga compound again. She shivered a bit when a bitter breeze sliced through her neck, chilling her nose, cheeks, and ears. Hurrying home she walked in to see Tenten sitting there waiting for her.

"Hello," she smiled and Tenten looked up.

"Um… I… I picked a shop," Tenten admitted as Hinata slowly sat there.

"Oh?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's… it's um nice, I signed the papers, paid for it with my war pay, and my savings," Tenten admitted shyly.

"That's great, do you like it?" Hinata asked.

"It's nice, it's got three stories, five apartments, Guy and Lee can move in and I was thinking to offer Kurenai the other apartment, and I would take the top floor one," Tenten admitted.

"That is a good idea," Hinata admitted.

"Thanks, I'm a bit nervous though," Tenten admitted.

"That's understandable," Hinata admitted. "Do you need help setting up and moving?"

"No, most my stuff was destroyed in the Pain Attack, but… could I have a few things of Neji's?"

"Of course."

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	32. Part 1: Chapter 32

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 32**

Hinata spent most of October helping Tenten move into her new shop, and helping Kurenai move in with Lee, Guy, and Tenten. It was kind of fun. The shop was located near the Yamanaka Flower Shop, and the apartments above the store area were nice.

Tenten's plan was to open up in June after she talked to most of the weapons' smiths she knew and built of a trade agreement and everything else that was going to be needed for running a weapons shop. Hinata had offered the Hyūga Clan's assistance, but Tenten declined, promising that if she ever needed anything they'd be the first call.

Other than the move though, October was rather dull for her. Naruto had stopped coming around once his duties with the Hokage resumed, and Kiba and Shino were busy preparing for the coming winter, and she was taking her lessons to be Head of the Clan again.

The lessons were tedious, and she found them to be rather dull, but it did not matter as she took them serious under the watchful eye of the Hyūga elders.

It was this first week of November though as she stood with Hanabi at the entrance gates of the village dressed formally waiting for her father. Hinata couldn't feel her toes after having stood there for an hour waiting, and Hanabi was humming to herself out of boredom. The winds were chilling as the slipped through her hair, and her body was trying to accustom itself to the coming winter.

"How do you think the talks went with the Taketori Clan?" she murmured to her sister.

"I don't know, I just hope father arrives here soon, I can't feel my nose," Hanabi griped. Hinata chuckled a bit and straightened when she saw the Hyūga emblem on a banner just on the horizon. As they neared she saw her father and the four other Hyūga he had traveled with.

"Father," she and Hanabi said simultaneously as they both bowed their heads then hurried after Hiashi.

"The Taketori Clan?" she asked once they were on Hyūga property again.

"They have agreed to a trade agreement for now," Hiashi said, a servant came into their father's study after them with a tray of tea. After the tea was prepared and served the servant left and she and Hanabi looked at their father who quietly sipped his tea.

"Hinata, the agreement hinges on a marriage between the Hyūga and the Taketori, and though it is not your hand they requested it had come to my attention that you are of age for a husband," Hiashi said.

"Father…" she started, and felt her face heat.

"However," Hiashi continued. "It is also known that we have recently survived a war, and many losses. It is why I will wait but Hinata, you should be prepared because come your twenty-first birthday, if you are not married to a suitable partner I will be arranging a suitable match for you. And you as well, Hanabi, when you come of age."

"But… father!?" Hanabi whined.

"It is vital to the Clan, and our ways that the Main House; even if we are changing our inner ways of the Clan; does not lose it's bloodline," Hiashi said sharply. Which had Hinata flinching as she stared at the desk and the teacup burned her hands.

"Do you have matches father?" she whispered as she dared to look at her father's stern face then.

"Not as of this moment, there is much to do in the aftermath of this war, I am forwarning you though that there will be matches, and I expect this to be taken seriously when the time comes. The Taketori Clan have asked for an alliance, and protection by marrying one of the Lesser Houses sons, I have arranged Kohaku to be married, she is of age and will be a suitable match. However, we have more powerful allies who might propose the same, and I expect you to think about the future of the Clan when the time comes," Hiashi said.

"Yes father," she and Hanabi managed to say softly.

"Good, Hinata, how goes your lessons," Hiashi asked her.

Swiftly she filled her father in and didn't dally on the lesser details as she informed her father of all she was learning and struggling with.

Hiashi nodded when she finished her report of everything then looked to Hanabi.

"And you Hanabi?" he asked.

Her sister was a bit more open about everything she was learning, and she strayed off topic but by the end of the summery she saw her father nod before dismissing them. Reluctantly Hinata got up and started walking away from study.

She now had a deadline before she was matched into a suitable marriage by her father, that was a terrifying prospect as she bit her lip and walked to her room. She wanted to marry Naruto, but that was her child's dream and she was accepting that the likelihood of it happening was slimming down with how the fangirls were swarming him now.

Still, it was troubling as she laid down on her futon and stared at the ceiling for a long moment in silence.

She shouldn't have been surprised, her father's purpose was to look out for the good of the Clan as Head of the Clan. But still, she didn't like the thought of being matched to marry a wealthy stranger she had more than likely never met or interacted with.

Marriages like this were not uncommon; even in this day in age; with the wealthy families. And though she was shocked about the matter she knew that this was for the good of the Clan. Also, she had until she was twenty-one before her father picked her match. Perhaps she could work up the courage again to admit her love to Naruto.

That was a terrifying prospect as she stood up and changed into her training door when a knock on her door from a servant said it was time.

* * *

By the time November was here and he hadn't seen Sakura nor had he heard from her he was seriously contemplating going to her to say he was sorry. Perhaps he should just cave to keep his friendship with her. Sakura was precious to him; she was one of the most important people in his life, and he didn't think he could afford to lose her. Not after the teme leaving last month.

Which was why he was slowly gathering up all the groceries he was going to need; he was hoping to run into Sakura. But alas, she wasn't here; a ton of fangirls were and they flocked around him swiftly, but he was on a mission today as he walked home.

If she wasn't at her place, and she wasn't at the market, then she was at the hospital, and even if it was another blow to his pride, he was going apologize so he could keep his friend. Kurama sensed her first as he walked up the stairs to his apartment and his head snapped up when he saw a black clad set of legs and found himself staring at an exhausted Sakura.

"I come in peace," she said quickly. His temper sparked as his eyes narrowed on her.

"What do you want?" he spat out; alright, so maybe he wasn't completely ready to apologize to her. She had called him a spoiled brat.

"I came here to apologize for calling you a spoiled brat, and yelling at you that day, and I came to see how my best friend is holding up," she said scinerely which baffled him.

"You… you came to apologize? To me?" he stammered.

"Yes, I can admit when I've crossed a line, and I know that I did, and I'm sorry that it's taken this long for me to come around here. and I'm sorry for not being here to celebrate your birthday, but honestly, this is my first day off in about a month," she sighed. He just stared at her dumbfounded that she had apologized. "You want to share some ramen? I know you still have a heart attack worthy stash and I can tell you a thousand times I'm sorry. But I won't take back what I said about you turning everything around to be about you."

"Alright," he submitted. He could live with her not taking that back if he didn't have to take back him not being sorry about being pissed at her. "I guess I deserve that."

"We still friends?" she asked.

"Of course!" he grinned as he came to his door. "I was about to cave and come apologize for that day, but now that you have, I'm not going to."

"Alright," she chuckled. "You win this one."

"Kay," he smiled and looked her over; she looked dead on her feet.

"Now, I'm here for another reason, and I think you might like it. Can we go in and discuss it?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Thanks, I'm a bit chilled from waiting here," she chuckled. Opening his apartment she shut it and he put his groceries on the counter, he hissed when some of them fell.

"Fucking one arm!" he snapped as he walked to his stash of ramen to make them something to eat. She was putting his groceries away.

"That's actually why I'm here."

"About my inability to live with one hand; unlike the teme?" he asked bitterly.

"You and Sasuke are two different people, Naruto, stop comparing yourself to him. It's like comparing the night to the day," she said blandly and he chuckled. Leave it to Sakura to make him feel better about not being like the teme.

"What can you do about my arm then?" he asked.

"IF, and I mean a big if, if you are willing to work with me and Tsunade, and be patient, we might be able to give you a a right arm from Hashirama's cells, it's an experimental project, which might not bring anything forth, but we have theories about what to do and we're looking for viable candidates, you're a viable candidate," she said, he handed her ramen and picked up his own as he sat at the table.

"Uh… what do you mean?" he asked.

"Tsunade and I have been working on an idea to bring you a fully functioning arm, and limb, with your injury and how it healed, and the specific damage done to it, we think we might be able to create you a flawless limb whish will be connected to your nerves, and brain, and will function perfectly like your original arm," she explained.

"I'm a bit confused," he admitted as he struggled with slurping his ramen; he was still not used to being a lefty.

"Naruto, I want to give you an arm that will feel like your natural arm," she flatly stated and he stared at her before grinning.

"Oh! That's a good idea! What do you need me to do!?" he demanded excitedly.

"Well, Tsunade is working on creating the limb, but in order to do that I need you to patiently sit through a lot of examinations and tests, I want to map your nerves and your brain to make this work."

"Yeah! Whatever you want!" he promised her and she chuckled. They spent the next hours chatting; he did most the talking. It was when Sakura started nodding off that she stood to leave after thanking him for the ramen.

"Hey, Sakura?" he called when she was at his door.

"Yes, Naruto?" she hummed.

"Do you… do you ever miss the teme?" he asked.

"You know, I wanted him to go, I want him to find that peace he's been missing, and I want him happy Naruto. But yes, I miss him, I miss him more than I can tell you," she said softly.

"I…" he started and sighed. "I was mad that he was going, but I didn't mean it when I called him a coward." He wasn't apologizing to Sakura, but he didn't want her to think that he thought poorly of Sasuke still. He peeked at her and saw her smile slightly.

"Naruto, we all say things we don't mean, and I'm certain Sasuke knows that you didn't mean it." She said and opened the door. "Hey, can you come by the hospital around noon tomorrow? We can run the first bout of tests and scans then."

"Sure," he grinned.

"See you then Naruto!" she smiled and waved as she left and he grinned feeling happier than he had in a month.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	33. Part 1: Chapter 33

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 33**

Naruto was excited, for the first time ever in his memorable life he was excited to go to the hospital. If he found something wrong with such a sensation he wasn't going to analyze it as was directed to the examination room that Sakura was waiting for him.

"Hey!" he grinned. "Ready for that arm!"

"It doesn't work that way," Sakura chuckled. He frowned a bit but conceded that she was probably right about that.

"So what do you need me to do?" he asked.

"Stripe, and put these on," she said handing him that hated paper gown. He hated doctors offices because they were so cold and then they had you dress in stuff like this! "Keep the underwear on."

"Uh… Sakura…?" he said when she didn't turn away for him to stripe.

"I'm going to give you a physical today, and run a few tests, and that's easier if you're not wearing the extra weight of clothes," she said.

"Fine," he submitted as she pulled the screen between them. He was quick to change and fought from chattering his teeth, Kurama snapped at him to toughen up.

"Anything you need me to do with my clothes?"

"Just leave them on the counter you'll be wearing them when you leave," she said. He hoped he'd be wearing them when he left. Then again doctors were strange creatures. However with Sakura he was going to have some fun!

"You're not keeping me here!? thank Kami!" he chuckled but felt a shiver down his spine when the paper gown flapped open.

"Get on the scale, I need your weight," she said, he complied seeing Sakura in work mode and would miss all jokes he sent her way. And people called him dense!

"Naruto!?" she scolded, he looked at his weight on the scale.

"What!? I haven't put it all back on!" he defended.

"I know, but you need to gain back those two kilos; stop eating junk and eat healthier; that'll help," she said and he just sighed. She was in full doctor mode and there would be no winning against her.

"Height," she said, he stood there and patiently held still as she neared him; he could feel her body heat and had the impulse to kiss her. Kurama said she was the wrong girl and in love with someone else then, and Naruto rolled his eyes.

'Stupid fox,' he thought.

"Kami, you're still growing," she sighed.

"Really!? I thought I was done," he admitted.

"No, you and Sasuke both, I think you're hitting your last growth spurt now," she said and he smirked.

"I'm taller than the teme!" he smirked; after having been shorter than Sasuke most his life he would take the little victories.

"Alright, to day I'm just getting the lay out Naruto, and building up the basics, if you don't mind working with Tsunade and I over the next few months we will hopefully be able to build you an arm," she said confidently. He was impressed with her saying this when he didn't know if this was too good to be true or if this was a sham.

"That's fine," he surrendered. "I just can't be a lefty," he chuckled.

"You still need to work on that," she said as she stood behind him. "Now breathe," she ordered.

"Fuck!" ice touched his skin and hand him jumping as he glared at Sakura. "Cold! What the hell Sakura!?"

"Shut up and breath so I can hear your lungs," she snapped. He recognized that tone and just decided to do as he was ordered as he sat there shivering as she listened. She pulled away and stood before him.

"Take your right sleeve off," she ordered. He grumbled with Kurama about it being stupid cold in this exam room as he complied with her order. Her fingers slid over the stump tentatively as she examined him, he watched her closely. She was pretty, he thought with a smile. Sakura was a very pretty girl, and he wondered if he should continue pursuing her now that Sasuke was gone or if he should give that up.

"Any phantom pains?" she asked.

"Uh… what?" he blinked as he pulled himself out of his thoughts, Kurama scolded him for wanting what he couldn't have.

"Do you ever feel like your hand, arm, and fingers are being ripped apart from when you and Sasuke blew your arms off?" she clarified.

"Oh…uh… yes," he admitted as he remembered the dreams occasionally and thinking he had his right hand.

"How often?"

"Not often. I have nightmares occasionally and I wake in pain thinking my arm is killing me, then it's… it's not there," he admitted.

"That's alright, extend it to me," she ordered. He did so, and watched as her hands slid over his stump. Her hands were warm and as he felt her chakra pulsing into him lightly.

"Thank Kurama for me for healing this," she said as she pulled away.

Kurama preened with pride which had Naruto snapping that it wasn't like he had done anything.

"He says of course," Naruto said when Kurama snapped at him to just be happy that he wasn't dead from the blood poisoning.

"How does Kurama feel about you having an artificialarm?" she asked.

Kurama's choice of wording was not something he wanted to ever hear again or repeat.

"He says I won't be useless and a few other things I am not repeating," he grumbled. Sakura and Kurama chuckled and he felt like he was being ganged up on at this moment.

The rest of the appoint was simple as he endured his blood being drawn. Sakura finished up, told him to talk to Tsunade and now he was pulling on his clothes again.

"Oh," Sakura spoke, startling him. "Dinner, next week on Tuesday; you, me, and Sai," she said and he stepped out from behind the curtain.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah, and we're going to start doing that once a month from now on," she stated firmy.

"Alright," he would like that. "Who's idea was this?"

"The actual dinner is at Sai's request, the once a month is my ultimatum because I've fall out of touch with both you and Sai, and you're both my best friends," she smiled.

"Alright, that'll be fun," he admitted.

"Good, don't forget to go to tsunade," she said.

"Thanks Sakura," he smiled and left her behind listening to Kurama scolding him for letting his crush resurface but Naruto didn't bother to point out it wasn't as simple as that. He would always love Haruno Sakura.

* * *

Pulling her coat, a bit tighter around her as she hurried through the village. Why did November have to come with a biting edge to it? She wondered as she kept her hands stuffed in her pockets and she thought about a gift to get for Tenten's baby. It was only a few months until the baby was born, Hinata had agreed to help with the birth of the baby. She had been attending Lamaze classes with Tenten since her due date was the end of December beginning of January and it was November now.

Gritting her teeth, she ignored the chill as she found a small shop and slipped into it.

"Welcome," a clerk called out.

"Good afternoon," she nodded as she pulled tried to warm her hands.

"Looking for anything in particular?" the clerk asked her.

"No, I'm just… actually, I'm looking for a crib," she admitted. That was something Tenten didn't have yet and would need. It was important, and she would see to it that Tenten had something sturdy. If the Hyūga had family heirlooms like that they would help Tenten out, but no. the Hyūga family, though traditional was not overly sentimental.

"Right this way," the clerk said and Hinata followed. She didn't need something hug, but sturdy would work best.

She found something immediately and stared at it for a long moment.

"Oh, this is not a popular model, but there are others this way," the clerk said.

"I… I think this will do," she mumbled and smiled. "She'll like this one best."

"Alright," the clerk sighed dejectedly.

"Do you deliver?" she asked softly.

"Yes, where do you want it sent?" the clerk asked.

"The Hyūga compound, please," she said. And paid swiftly noticing the clerk's disappointed look as she left.

"Hey Hinata!" a voice called and she jumped as she spun around with her heart slamming in her ribs as she caught sight of that blonde head of his.

"N-Naruto!" she gasped.

"What are you up to?" he grinned.

"Buying Tenten a gift," she stammered. As she started walking with Naruto. He was so close she could feel his warmth, and she could smell him, he smelt of ramen, clear air, the forest, and something uniquely Naruto that she liked as they walked near one another around the crowded street.

"Oh, she's going to have the baby soon, right?" he asked.

"Uh-huh," she nodded as she pulled her coat tighter. She hated November! It was too bitter for her tastes, at least once winter was here everything had settled and she wasn't being blown through by the winds.

"What's she having?" Naruto asked eagerly.

"Can you not tell her?" Hinata asked with a smile; she had known for a while what Tenten was having, but she couldn't say. And the Hyūga could keep secrets, after all there was much left unsaid between them all.

"Um…" Naruto thought about it. "I will try really hard not to tell her what she's having."

"Then I can't tell you Naruto," she sighed.

"Come on! please!" he pleaded.

"No, Tenten wants it to be a surprise," she chuckled.

"Okay, I won't tell her!" Naruto amended.

"Naruto, if you don't think you can keep the secret then I cannot tell you," Hinata mused. She saw the blonde pout some then sigh.

"Alright, but how come you know!?"

She pointed to her eyes.

"Oh. Well… that would explain it," he decided blandly. She giggled.

They walked together and Nruto chatted with her about all the going-ons with what was happening in his life. He filled her in on his coming artificial arm.

"That sounds like quite a project for Tsunade and Sakura," she said carefully.

"I'm excited though, I suck at being left handed," he grouched. She smiled a bit.

"H-How is everything going since you… left?" she asked uncertainly.

"Good, I got my apartment back," he said. "It's still not great but it's nicer than it was, and I have a discount on the rent for some reason."

She didn't say that it was because he was the world's hero, that was something he still wouldn't understand.

"Oh my Kami! It's Naruto! Look over there!" a girl's voice screeched. She and Naruto looked over to see a red blonde girl and Hinata's gut twisted as she frowned slightly. This was most unbecoming.

"Oh it is! He liked saved the world!" another screeched and Hinata was baffled as they were swarmed by the girls then.

"How'd you save the world?"

"Did you really face the enemy on your own?"

"You're so sexy! Can I be your girlfriend!"

"No, he's mine!" another girl screeched and Hinata was shoved aside. She sighed, she was out of the swarm and saw Naruto placating them.

Hiding the hurt in her hear she pulled her coat around herself as she walked home.

He was hers', at least that's what she had always wanted to say. She would do anything to have Naruto's heart, she loved him so much that it hurt.

She blinked at the burning sting in her eyes.

She loved him so much and she wished he loved her in return. Biting her lip she just hurried into the compound, she didn't want anyone to see her cry. Once in her room she pulled off her coat and sat on her futon as she pulled out her studies and decided to distract herself from her heartache.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	34. Part 1: Chapter 34

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 34**

"Big Brother Naruto!" a voice shouted down the street had him turning.

"Konohamaru!" he grinned as he saw the bouncing brown and blue blur that was his younger friend.

"Hey, I just got back from a mission!" he grinned as skidded to a halt.

"That's great!" Naruto chuckled, he hadn't been on a mission himself because of his one hand situation. It was a bit frustrating in his mind since he was itching for a mission.

"Hey, what are you doing for the Rinne Festival?" Konohamaru asked as they walked together.

"Huh… I hadn't thought about it…" Naruto admitted. Perhaps the Rinne Festival was the perfect time to ask Sakura out, it was about five and a half weeks away, and this Tuesday he was having a dinner with Sai and Sakura. He should try to bring up taking her to the Rinne Festival…

"I'm going with Moegi to the festival," Konohamaru admitted.

"I thought you liked Hanabi," Naruto said remembering how his young friend had been mooning over the young Hyūga.

"Nah, Moegi is cuter!" Konohamaru declared. Naruto chuckled as they walked. "What about you? Who are you taking to the Rinne Festival!?"

"I'm thinking… I think I'll ask Sakura," he admitted. Kurama grumbled that Sakura was not the girl from him but Naruto shooed the fox from his mind and those thoughts. Sakura and he… they could work, Sakura and him had saved the world with Sasuke and she was his best friend. He also happened to like her, and with Sasuke gone, and good again; she might be willing to let Sasuke go and see him for the man he was. He had saved her life repeatedly and she had saved him; she had even said she loved him so why… why not?

"Really? That's bold," Konohamaru said. "Think Sakura will agree to try to date you."

"Well, I think that… I think we could try, and Sasuke is good again so maybe she'll stop loving him," Naruto said thoughtfully. Besides, he didn't think Sakura really loved the teme, it was just some crush or something, at least that's what he thought after years of knowing her. Sakura no doubt cared about Sasuke, but Naruto was pretty certain that once she stopped only looking at Sasuke she'd see that he was there.

"Well, that's good," Konohamaru smiled as they walked.

"Moegi though?" he chuckled.

Kurma griped about him not seeing what was in front of him and Naruto just dismissed the fox again as he walked with Konohamaru. The stupid fox, though they were becoming friends, didn't know the first thing about him and Sakura.

"Yeah, she's got those eyes, and her smile…" Konohamaru got all dreamy then as they walked and Naruto chuckled.

"'Sides, she's perfect for me! I've known her for forever!" Konohamaru announced. Naruto laughed remembering the years when Konohamaru had followed him around religiously and shouted that they were rivals, Moegi always followed Konohamaru.

"You two will have fun," Naruto predicted.

* * *

Hinata walked with Tenten through the village, the older woman was holding onto her arm as they both carefully navigated the crowd.

"H-How are you f-feeling?" Hinata chattered as they headed for the hospital to speak to Sakura. She, Lee, and Guy were helping Tenten were forming Tenten's birth plan, and they were going to speak with Sakura about it. They were trying to keep it so Tenten could be safe and today they were going to talk to Sakura about it.

"Cold!" Tenten gasped as she hugged her coat.

"Understandable," she chattered as they continued walking together.

"And nervous," Tenten whispered as they huddled into the hospital. Then and teeth were chattering.

"Aren't you excited though?" Hinata asked.

"A little," Tenten admitted once they were in the elevator. Hinata smiled as she looked at the baby bump.

"Neji would be excited too," Hinata whispered. She had a feeling her cousin had always wanted family, especially after Hizashi had died. "Have you read his letter and will yet?"

"N-No…" Tenten whispered then. "I… I'm nervous about what it will say…" she murmured.

"I don't see why," Hinata said as they walked together.

"Neji and I… we, we were a secret, just before we were all deployed to our… units, we… Neji and I… we were, we were going to come out after the war," she whispered.

"You were?" Hinata said softly.

"Yes… he was… he was going to… he wasn't going to marry Taketori," she murmured.

"He really loved you," Hinata murmured.

"I… I don't know about that…" she murmured. "But… I love, loved, him," Tenten murmured as they walked together.

"Why… why didn't you say something?" Hinata asked her.

"I… I told Neji about my love of him just… just before the deployment…" she murmured as they left the elevator.

"What did he say?" Hinata asked.

"Nothing, Neji and I… Hinata, Neji and I were lovers when we were fifteen, love… love had nothing to do with what we were," she said softly. "I liked him, I liked him a lot when we started our thing, but Hinata, I never confused friends with benefits with being in love but… when I told him, I meant it."

"I'm… I'm happy you loved Neji," Hinata said softly.

"Really?" she murmured.

"Yes, I… I don't think Neji loved enough when he was alive, I'm happy that you loved him and I'm certain he loved you as well," Hinata said firmly.

The only way she saw her cousin even engaging in intimate activities was if he cared about who he was with deeply because Neji was not one to waste his time or himself. Neji liked his personal space and he didn't like sharing his time with people he didn't like. He disliked many, tolerated others, but only liked a few.

"I… I wish I was as certain as you were in that matter," Tenten admitted. Again Hinata desperately wished that her cousin hadn't died in the war because then he'd be here with Tenten instead of her.

* * *

Naruto was certain that Sakura was the girl he wanted to take to the Rinne Festival now, but now he needed to figure out how to ask her out and get her to the Rinne Festival. Stupid as it seemed he did not have the confidence that he should in asking a girl he loved out.

And Kurama was not helping because the stupid fox was pointing out every reason why this wasn't going to work.

Sakura was the girl he wanted, and the girl he loved, and he would make it work. Just because she happened to be hot headed, slightly violent, and hardheaded did not mean she wasn't going to be the perfect girl for him, it just meant he was going to have to work harder at getting her to see that she was better than all that.

Sighing he dragged a hand through his hair and pondered all the ways he should ask her out. he'd have to do it when they were alone and in private; he didn't want her to feel obligated to say yes, and it would have to be when she couldn't refuse him because he was making her happy. That made things difficult in his mind as he sat in his apartment staring at the ceiling.

Why couldn't things with him and Sakura just be simple?

Seriously! Things between them were always so complicated that he didn't know how to handle it sometimes because it shouldn't be this complicated. Groaning he dragged a hand over his face and rubbed his eyes as he thought about this.

They would be good together, he knew that, they'd be a good couple, he didn't doubt that since they already knew each other very well and they would… they could be perfect for one another. Once Sakura's temper got under control.

Kurama just snapped that he was missing what was in front of them and Naruto shoved the fox from his mind.

Haruno Sakura was right in front of him, and he wasn't going to lose her, he wasn't going to let her slip through his fingers, and he was never going to stop loving her. Sakura was his best friend, she was his person, and she was a pretty girl who he happened to like. They could work!

A knock on his apartment door had him sitting up to get his door.

"Hey," Naruto greeted then. "Come in…" he gestured and his friend walked in.

"I… I was, I was wondering how you were doing," Hinata shyly said as she hugged herself and rubbed her arms.

"I'm good, how about you?" Naruto asked.

"I'm cold," she whispered.

"Yeah, it is bitter out," Naruto agreed and pulled out his portable heater as Hinata sat at his table. "Ramen?"

"Thank you," she said and he went about making it.

"What's up Hinata?" he grinned as he waited for the water to heat up.

"N-Nothing, I'm… I just wanted to see how you were," she admitted.

"I'm great, Sakura is making my arm, I still suck at being left handed," Naruto admitted as he gave her a warm cup of ramen.

* * *

"That's good," Hinata smiled as she started nibbling on the noodles of ramen. She had been with enjoying the warmth of the noodles after freezing outside. Tenten's appointment had opened their eyes today, especially with how it had upset her. At least until Sakura had explained the reasons and assured Tenten that it was going to be fine.

"How about you?" he asked as he sat with her.

"I saw Sakura today with Tenten," Hinata admitted. "It was… encouraging," she admitted.

"How's Tenten doing anyway?" he asked as he got up for his ramen.

"She is… well, she was not happy with the news, but Sakura helped her," Hinata admitted. The news was a bit disconcerting to her, and it was a bit painful to hear but it was healthier with what Sakura had proposed they do.

"That's good," Naruto grinned.

"Yes," Hinata smiled shyly. She liked being with Naruto, she liked being around him because he made her feel happy and safe. She liked that because she hadn't always been happy or safe in her childhood.

"Are you looking forward to the Rinne Festival?"

"Y-Yes, I… I think so…" she stammered and felt her face heating as her tongue grew heavy.

Now one must understand, the Rinne Festival was an important, spiritual festival, but it was also an important event for the single young people of the village. It was a festival for confessing love, and affections for others. It was an important festival in that regard, and her heart was pounding away at the thought of going to the Rinne Festival with Naruto. At least, if he were to ask her she would say yes.

But… she was not so hopeful as to thinking Naruto would ask her to the Rinne Festival right now. no, she knew better than that.

"I'm excited for it, it'll be the first good thing since the war," Naruto admitted with a grin.

"Yes… I… I think it will be good for the village," she admitted as she ate the ramen. There had not been many good things to happen after the war.

"Hey, what do you think a girl would think if I asked her to the Rinne Festival?" Naruto asked abruptly and her heart slammed painfully in her ribs then.

"Um… you did save the world… Naruto," she whispered painfully as she looked at him and he sighed.

"Yeah," he scowled and she smiled.

"S-She will… she'll be lucky to have you," Hinata managed as her throat constricted painfully to get those words out.

"Huh… I guess so, thanks Hinata! You're the best!" he grinned.

She smiled weakly as she felt her stomach twist and churn painfully at Naruto words as she looked back at her ramen cup.

He wasn't going to ask her to the Rinne Festival. But she hoped, and it hurt to know it wasn't her he was going to ask.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	35. Part 1: Chapter 35

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 35**

Naruto walked to Sai's on Tuesday, he was thinking of asking Sakura to the Rinne Festival after tonight's dinner. It would be fun, and it wasn't like he hadn't gone to festivals with Sakura before, it would also be good for her. Perhaps help her see that Sasuke wasn't not the love of her life like she claimed he was.

Also, it wasn't like Sai was going to stop him from asking her out; or was even interested in Sakura's love life. No one was because she didn't have a love life and the whole village knew it. Thinking his plan to be solid he was delighted to be going to Sai's for dinner. It wasn't like there was any pressing Hokage business he was learning, and it wasn't like there was a horde of men about to steal his girl.

Alright, no his girl; yet; thinking like that would have Sakura kicking his ass.

Kurama still snarled at the thought of him asking Sakura out. Not that the fox's opinion mattered.

Smiling he walked into Sai's place then.

"Hey," he called out as he saw Sai cooking.

"Hello," Sai said as he ducked the flames. Naruto and Kurama flinched at the white flames which roared then.

"What are you doing Sai?" he asked.

"Cooking, oil is flammable," Sai observed with fascination.

"No shit," he snapped as the flames died down then.

"Uzumaki Naruto," a voice said, both he and Sai leapt as they prepared to attack the new voice. They looked at the ANBU man. "Summons to the Hokage's office, by order of the Fifth and Sixth Hokage."

"Uh… Alright," he said uncertainly as he took the offered scroll.

"The meeting is right now," the ANBU said sharply as Naruto opened the scroll.

"Shit!" he yelped reading the scroll and bolted out of the apartment. This was urgent news and he was not late for the Hokage's meeting that was a terrifying thought as he jogged the stairs. He was down the block when he ran into Sakura.

"Hey!" Sakura smiled. He kept going though.

"Naruto!?" she shouted after him.

"Sorry Sakura! I just… I have to go!" he shouted.

"Why?" she called out.

"Urgent Hokage business, I'll see you for my appointment, sorry!" he shouted as he ran for the Hokage's office. It was important that he get there in ten minutes, before the meeting started without him.

Not being able to sign was a bitch!

"'Cuse me!" he shouted as he leapt through the market and took to the rooves as he moved through the city. He skidded to a halt on the roof before falling in the open window gracelessly. "I made it!" he shouted.

"Yes, the meeting is just starting Naruto," a calm voice said as he sat up.

"Hey Granny Tsunade," he huffed out as he sat up and ran his hand through his shaggy hair. His hair was getting too long; he'd have to ask to get it cut.

"Naruto, this is important," Kakashi said.

* * *

Hinata sat in her seat at dinner as she sipped the served sake and tried to keep her attention on the droning conversation of her father's elders and clan advisors. It was a dull meal, and she could see Hanabi looking bored as a young girl could look. Frankly, Hinata felt like going to bed early because of her boredom.

However, she didn't dare to leave.

Quietly eating her meal as the meeting continued she hoped to make it through her meal and not fall asleep. Finally, she finished her meal, and was excused, she walked with Hanabi away from the dinner table quickly, and silently.

"That was a boring dinner!" Hanabi whined once they were in the courtyard.

"Hanabi!" Hinata scolded.

"What!? It was boring! And the elders are stuffy!" she huffed.

"You should not speak of your elders in such a way," she scolded as they walked towards her quarters.

"But onēsan…" Hanabi whined.

"No, we need to be respectful of the elders, they are wise, and their council is wise," Hinata chided as they entered her quarters.

"But they're so boring, onēsan," Hanabi said.

"Yes, and one day you will be an elder and boring, remember that before you declare them boring," she warned.

"But I will never be a boring elder, for I am too fun," she chuckled then as she opened her quarters and walked in with Hanabi.

"Yeah, but dictating who we should marry, what alliances we need, and what it is we should be doing in regard to Konoha and the council; it's dull, and boring, and stupid," Hanabi said with a yawn.

"Hanabi, it is important that they advise us with wisdom," Hinata pointed out.

"Yes, by they all act like there is an Uchiha Itachi will just appear in our clan and wipe us out though," Hanabi sighed.

Hinata sighed as well, because for a few years after the Uchiha massacre the Hyūga heavily feared the idea of another Uchiha Itachi happening. She understood the fears of her clansmen, and she knew them to be legitimate fears.

"Hanabi, these are serious fears for the Hyūga, and you should have more respect for such fears, for if what happened to the Uchiha clan happens to us it will cripple Konoha, which would leave Konoha open for attack and that would lead to another war which would take many lives. The Byakugan and Sharingan are two of the strongest eye powers ever found in a kekkei genkai, to fear their eradication is not irrational, and Sasuke is the last Uchiha with a Rinnegan; an even rarer trait. It is important to realize this," she said softly.

"Humph, I still say the elders are boring, stuffy and full of themselves," Hanabi huffed out.

"I do not disagree, but they are wise, Hanabi," Hinata said calmly. "And wisdom should be listened to, for it could help us in the future."

"Fine, so onēsan how are things with you and Naruto?" Hanabi purred suggestively.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Hinata's face heated.

* * *

Naruto frowned as he stood there reading the letter and he sighed.

"What do you make of this Naruto?" Kakashi asked him.

"Um… why ask me?" Naruto asked.

"You are a decorated war hero, you are an excellent shinobi, and you are working on becoming the Seventh Hokage," Tsunade answered him.

"Kakashi, I don't… I don't know what to do about this…" Naruto admitted.

"What would you want to do?" Kakashi asked.

"Honestly, hunt every member of the Ryuha Armed Alliance down and capture this Garyo in the process, right now," Naruto admitted.

"But we do not know where they are," Tsunade pointed out and he frowned at this fact. They could send out a hunting unit, but then there was a risk to the shinobi.

"Naruto, the wisest thing to do is to wait," Kakashi said.

"What!? But they are threatening Hi no Kuni! We can't sit back and do nothing when Konohagakure is supposed to Hi no Kini!" Naruto shouted.

"We are not doing nothing, we wait and plan and prepare. Winter is coming, and after the war there is no sufficient travel in any of the larger nations or smaller, no one is going anywhere, the snows will come soon enough and trap everyone where they are. Even shinobi cannot travel in the harsh coming weather," Kakashi said.

"True," Tsunade agreed.

"And if they come here!?" Naruto snapped.

"Naruto, you arm should be done before the end of February, how do you feel about being the one to go out to hunt Garyo when the snow starts to melt?" Tsunade said.

"What…? Really?" he blinked.

"Yes, right now we can't spare anyone, it's already going to be a hard enough winter and we need all shinobi here to help the civilians, and the other duties that need to be done, come spring you can go hunting for the Ryuha Armed Alliance, I think it will make us all feel better once an established organization is taken down and then move to the next, more organizations like the Ryuha Armed Alliance will form, if they aren't already," Tsunade said.

"That is true, for now we should keep tabs on them and keep an eye on what is going on with the Ryuha Armed Alliances and listen for others like them forming.

"Fine," he growled.

"If you are to learn to be Hokage you must learn when to move, when to strike, when to be diplomatic, and when to be merciful," Kakashi warned him.

"I get it. I just don't like it." Naruto admitted.

After having read the threat and the letter he was disgusted that there were people after more war here than what they had already survived. This threat, something about it was twisting up his gut and he didn't like where this was possibly going to go which was not a good thought. Sighing he leant back in his seat and saw that Kakashi and Tsunade had the same looks on their face as he no doubt had.

* * *

Hinata stretched, popping her back as she settled on her futon and pondered what the elders had been discussing at dinner.

Her possible marriage to another.

It was not encouraging to her to hear them speaking of her marriage as if it were impending when she had a long ways to go before she was twenty-one and her marriage would be arranged. And Hanabi had even longer.

Still, it was concerning to her that they were even discussing it now. Closing her eyes she laid down and let the sleep come to her which was not wholly unwelcomed. She was exhausted, and strained, and she felt stretched thin.

The sleep which took her to oblivion was dreamless thankfully.

Click, clank, click, she groaned at hearing those as she opened her eyes to see the breaking dawn coming and she sighed as she reluctantly got out of her cold bed and walked to the window.

Tap.

She stopped at that sound.

"Pst! Hinata!" Naruto's voice hissed.

"Y-Y-Yes?" she stammered as she quickly pulled on a robe and felt her face heating up painfully as she opened her window and saw Naruto sitting on the tiles of her roof.

"I need your advice," he whispered.

"O-Oh," she managed, her tongue felt heavy and tied in knots and her face felt far too hot. "Um… one moment…" she said as she shut the window and drew her curtains. Changing swiftly she pulled on a warm coat before leaping onto the roof to greet Naruto. Her face still felt unbearably hot as she walked to him, hugging her coat to herself against the November chilled morning.

"W-W-What is i-i-i-it?" she chattered and stammered as she sat there..

He handed her a note and she hesitantly took it before reading over it, her eyes widened as she read it and then handed the message back to him.

"U-Um," she chattered.

"We are going to wait come March or February before hunting them, I just… you're a member of an old clan and I was… I was wondering what your clan would do?" he said softly.

"I… I don't know," she admitted. "There is going to be a hard winder this year after the war and supplies will be short because of the war, so I don't know if we would wait or hunt."

"I just… I don't want to sit here doing nothing!" Naruto huffed out.

"You aren't doing nothing by waiting Naruto," she chattered and rubbed her arms as she felt her nose and fingers lost feeling. It was too cold!

"I just feel like there's nothing to do!" he whined.

"Wh-why not ask Sakura?" Hinata stammered and chattered.

"Well, she'd knock me out and tie me to a hospital bed to keep me here for getting that damn arm," he grumbled.

"Naruto… they aren't a threat right now," Hinata murmured. Though she felt it was a lie, it was going to be trouble either way.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	36. Part 1: Chapter 36

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 36**

Naruto's frustrations about the Ryuha Armed Alliance did not go away in the passing weeks and that was why he found himself eating at Ichiraku's with Sai to talk about it. He could not understand why they weren't telling the public, and why the hell life was going on as usual! This was important and a lot of people could die during the Rinne Festival because of what these terrorists had threatened; people should be safely somewhere else, not flocking to Konoha for the festival!

"And they refuse to act until spring! Spring!" he hissed in fury as he and Sai ate.

"Well, the snow is blowing in from the north, no one is travelling anywhere any time soon, I've heard that some of the mountain passes are already blocked," Sai said calmly. Naruto growled, that wasn't the point! The point was that there was a threat to blow up the Rinne Festival sky high and kill thousands of innocent people! And everyone wanted to wait until spring to deal with these Ryuha Armed Alliance terrorists!

"It's just… they threatened to bomb Konoha during the Rinne Festival," he said darkly and he saw Sai stiffen. Naruto spun around expecting the worse and sighed seeing girls with the weird camera communitive devices from Kumo standing there smiling.

"Hey! So are you… are you really the man who saved the world!?" the giggling girls asked.

"Yes, but I saved the word with the help of my friends and Uchiha Sasuke," he clarified and saw their disappointed looks. From the corner of his eye he saw Sai paying for his ramen and followed quickly.

"Excuse me, I'm having a day with a friend," he smiled at the blushing teens.

"Where are you going Sai!?" he called out.

"I have training to get to."

"Wait I'll come with!" he said as he finished fishing out the money before jogging after Sai.

"What do you expect them to do about the threat?" Sai asked.

"I don't know! I just!" he growled and glared at the sky in frustration. "I guess I want them to take it seriously, maybe even cancel the festival," he admitted.

"Cancelling the festival would be bowing to the terrorist will and letting them win though," Sai countered.

"Yeah, but look around us Sai, the festival is in three weeks and we're filled to the brim with people from the civilian life, the other shinobi, the visiting foreigners, what about them!? Don't they deserve to know that there is a possibility that being here could get them killed!?" Naruto demanded as he gestured to crowd surrounding them.

"No," Sai said bluntly. Naruto was abashed at Sai's blunt answer and was about to smite him back for even Hyūga Hinata had answered that way! "Telling the general public would only create mass panic and get more people hurt than it would prevent. Besides, the terrorist aim for chaos and fear, to tell the public would feed them power and create senseless panic, it is not worth it," Sai explained.

"Yes! But what if it does happen!?" he argued.

"Then it happens, but there are a lot of shinobi in this village on security detail, and it will not happen," Sai blanly stated.

"That's a depressing thing to say," Naruto snapped. He felt that the people had a right to know that they were in grave danger by coming here for the Rinne Festival, but neither Kakashi nor Tsunade seemed inclined to agree with him, and then Hinata had said the same thing, and now Sai. He had little doubt that if he brought this up with Sakura that she would say the exact same thing they were all saying but it was frustrating. Did the public not have a right to know that they were in grave danger!?

"Perhaps, but dickless, the security of Konoha is some of the best," Sai countered.

"I Am Not Dickless! And that is true, but according to Kakashi there haven't ever been this many people here for the Rinne Festival," Naruto pointed out.

"Perhaps, but I think that this is not a matter that either the Fifth or Sixth Hokage would take lightly, and right now they are both acting Hokage," Sai declared and Naruto sighed.

"Argh!" he snarled with Kurama. "I Hate Waiting For The Bad Stuff To Happen!"

"Nothing bad will happen," Sai confindently stated.

"I hope you're right," Naruto growled.

"I am, and I have a date to the Rinne Festival," Sai said smugly. Naruto was baffled by the one-eighty turn of topics as he stared dumbly at Sai; the biggest social retard on the planet and what he was saying.

"Really? You? The social retard? Has a date?" he asked dubiously.

"Yes," Sai smiled.

"Holy shit." He managed.

"Have you obtained a date yet?"

"No, I'm going with Sakura though," he smirked. He was going to take a chance at the Rinne Festival; provided they didn't get blown to smithereens, to make her see him as a man now rather than a dopey kid. Haruno Sakura was the perfect girl and he was certain he would get her.

"Really, is she aware of this?" Sai asked.

"Yes, I was going ask her tonight," he said. Sakura knew she was going to the Rinne Festival with him, he just had to get her to see it as a date and not going with a friend.

"Ugly will be pleased that you are being a good friend."

"Um… I'm… I'm not asking her as a friend," he felt his cheeks heat at his admittance.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I'm asking her as my date," he grinned.

"Oh, but I thought Ugly was in love with the traitor," Sai said stupidly. Kurama immediately sided with Sai and Naruto frowned at the reaction.

"I'm not sure she's 'in love'," he snapped at both Sai and Kurama as he started his spar with Sai. He didn't think Sakura really knew what love was, and how the hell could she still be in love with Sasuke after all that shit!?

* * *

"So you have decided on the date of the C-section?" Hinata asked as she sat with Tenten in Tenten's nursery; they were currently assembling the crib.

"Yes, Sakura and I set the appointment for the twenty-third," Tenten said softly and Hinata smiled.

"That's terrific," she said with a smile as she struggled with a screw.

"I'm nervous, but Sakura… Sakura assure me that all was going to go well," Tenten admitted as she rubbed her belly. Hinata wondered what it was like to be pregnant, was it wonderful? Was it horrible? She hadn't really had the courage to ask Tenten about it which was why she was remaining silent about it.

"What do you hope for?" Hinata asked then as she continued fixing the cross-threaded screw that she was trying to put in the crib.

"Oh… healthy, after… after everything… I want healthy," she whispered.

"That's a good wish," Hinata admitted as she continued to work on assembling the crib.

"Yes, Ino said that there's a baby shower next week," Tenten said uncertainly.

"Yes, we were waiting for you to be… to be comfortable in your shop before throwing a party for you," Hinata admitted as she frowned in frustration and let her Byakugan pulse to life as she pulled the screw loose and then carefully screwed it in. It was so frustrating!

"Thank you, you know, for… for enduring me this long," Tenten said softly.

"Of course! You're family now Tenten, have you opened Neji's will yet?" Hinata asked.

"N-No," Tenten shook her head then. "I… I don't know if I want to read what he has to say…" she admitted.

"Why not?" Hinata asked softly as she looked at the older woman.

"Because… because Neji and I… we were good, we had a good thing going and the last words I said to him were 'I love you', I'm just… I'm not ready for him to finally be dead, I don't want to read the will because then it's… it's final, it's over, the thing between us is dead with him," Tenten explained with tears slipping her guard. Hinata reached over and took her hand.

"What you and Neji had… it's not over, ever," Hinata murmured. "It's… it's very real, and you two are having a baby, even if he's not here, that's a massive finality in my mind," she whispered.

"I… I guess, but… I don't want it to be dead yet," Tenten murmured.

"You need to open the will though," Hinata murmured softly. No she had not read it, but she knew it was important to Neji if he had gone through the trouble of writing it.

"I will… after… after the baby, on New Years', or Christmas," Tenten said miserably. "I just don't want to say good bye to him yet."

"I understand," Hinata assured her new friend. She was happy to be friends with Tenten, and she was happy that they had connected; even if it was horrible that they had bonded over Neji's death.

"Thank you," Tenten whispered.

"Of course, so the twenty-third?" Hinata mused as she continued working on the crib.

"It's after the Rinne Festival and before Christmas," Tenten chuckled.

"Just what Sakura wanted from you," Hinata mused.

"Yup," Tenten laughed.

The rest of Hinata's day was spent helping assemble the nursery for Tenten's baby, and her niece (honorary aunt was what she was according to Tenten), and before leaving was confident that everything was going to be alright. Stepping out on the cold street she felt her teeth chatter a bit as she hurried into the crowd and started towards her home. It was a good day, at least to her it was a good day, and she was looking forward to the birth of Tenten's baby.

Humming a bit to herself she stopped at a vendor to pick up her own dinner knowing her father and family were having their own as she walked through the village. It was so festive as everyone got ready for the Rinne Festival and Christmas, it was wonderful. It was not as if the war had never happened, but rather like the war was a distant thing of the past, and Hinata liked that as she watched the people around her.

Sitting on a bench she enjoyed her dinner and watching the people around her, they were all alive, and after so much death she was amazed with this progress. Life was finally moving forward.

* * *

Naruto walked through the village and avoided the fangirls, seriously, there were so many of them! It was terrifying to him. Leaping up he slowly walked the rooftops as he looked down on the brightly lit village filled with so many innocent lives and so much life.

They deserved to know, they needed to know that they were in danger by merely being her, but he didn't think that they would listen to him. Well, they might, but the Hokage wouldn't let him speak, and Sai and Hinata seemed to be under the impression that these people did not need to know about this. Sighing he ran his hand through his shaggy hair.

Perhaps it was time to get a trim on the hair and time to take his mind off things that he had no control over. If the Hokage weren't going to tell the people he couldn't; even if he wanted to. It was made clear to him that the punishment for telling people would not be pretty.

Rubbing his eyes, he sighed.

He just wanted the killing and the pain to stop. He wanted the hatred and cruelty to stop, and he wanted to end it all now. The world did not need more pain, hatred or cruelty, it was time for a permanent peace to come about.

Looking up at the stars he wondered how he could accomplish this. He was just one shinobi of Konoha, and he wasn't anything really special.

Well… that wasn't entirely true.

The thought about the reputation and smiled to himself, he'd use that to his advantage and bring the peace about with that.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	37. Part 1: Chapter 37

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 37**

Nervous, yeah, that was the way to describe this, he was nervous.

He grinned as he stuffed his sweaty hand in his pockets and walked to Sakura's apartment. Today was the day.

He was the world's savior.

He was the village hero.

He was a legend already.

He had it made, everything he ever wanted in life; well almost everything but he would make the rest work for him in time, and now it was time for the next step. It was time to get the girl. Yeah, he would get Haruno Sakura to realize that she was his one and he was a good man for her. It wasn't as if she really knew if she was in love with Sasuke or not, she just thought she was; or so he hoped.

Lightly rapping her door it was opened and he grinned at the green eyes peering up at him.

"Hey Naruto! I was just heading out, do you need something?" she asked as she pulled up a box in her arms.

"I was wondering if you would like to go to the Rinne Festival with me," he said as he scratched the back of his head.

"Sure," she said. "I'd be happy to go with you."

"Great!" he grinned.

"I gotta go Naruto, I'll talk to you later!" she called out as she walked away from him and he nodded as he watched her go.

Truthfully, he excited about the prospect of going to the Rinne Festival with her. it was time to show Sakura just how much he had grown up and how good he would be to her. Yes, Naruto knew he was following pervy sage's advice, but Jiraiya, for all his faults, had been good at writing romance novels. They were some of the best in the world, and if it worked for pervy sage, then it would work for him. He was certain of it as he walked back to his place.

Naruto scowled when Kurama said she was the wrong girl.

What did the fox know!? Sakura was the girl; she was smart, she was funny, she was pretty, she was his best friend, and she was a nice to him. The only thing about her which Naruto did not like was her temper, but it had mellowed out a bit since the war, and it was something he was certain she'd outgrow.

After all, he was a different man from the idiot kid she knew.

He smiled at his success and walked to Ichiraku's when his stomach snarled, reminding him to eat. Sakura was the girl he wanted at his side, now and forever, and always, she was the perfect girl. It was just a matter of making her see that her stupid crush on Sasuke didn't matter anymore because she had grown up. Sasuke had too.

And that sounded petty, but he wanted to show Sakura that they were different people now and that she didn't have to say she loved Sasuke anymore.

* * *

Hinata was walking to Tenten's for the baby shower, which was today and she was carefully holding her gift in it's bag against her chest.

It wasn't great, but she had been working on it these past weeks and it was for Tenten, and she hoped the older woman liked it. Hinata wanted to give her nephew or cousin, a special gift. Something from her heart, and that was why she had worked so hard on it these past weeks. She looked up when she saw Temari and Sakura walked into the shop and smiled to herself, Ino was a step behind with a box and huge dress bag tossed over her shoulder.

Hinata actually found herself growing fond of Sakura, Ino, Temari and Tenten, she hoped that they could be friends for forever. They were the first group of girls Hinata found herself truly bonding with as she walked into the weapon's shop.

"Hey guys! Time to get the party started!" Ino shouted, Hinata chuckled as she watched the blonde pull Tenten and Temari in, Sakura stood there launging.

"She seems happier," Hinata observed as she saw Tenten smiling freely then.

"I think she's adapting," Sakura replied as they walked into the flat then.

"Are you going to the Rinne Festival?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah, Naruto asked me," Sakura said. Hinata froze then as she stared at Sakura. "But just as friends, you're more than welcomed to join us," Sakura filled in.

"Uh-huh," she nodded numbly when Ino appeared and dragged them into the nursery for games, setting up, and talking.

Now, Hinata's had never been one to feel envy, or hatred, but right now she wanted to claw Sakura's eyes out and scream at her; especially since that talk they had had at the hot spring. She had thought that Sakura said that there was nothing between herself and Naruto.

Now Sakura was going to the Rinne Festival to Naruto.

It was a low blow which had knocked the air out of her lungs and had her gut tying up in nasty knots as she sat in the corner of the party trembling. This just wasn't fair, it wasn't fair! She loved Naruto, she had intended to ask him to the Rinne Festival!

Sighing Hinata dragged her hands through her hair and smiled as she joined her friends and refrained from making a spectacle of herself. She would speak with Sakura a bit more about this since it was… it hurt! It hurt like hell!

"Do you want a boy or a girl Tenten?" Hinata asked her friend.

"Hm? I want… I want healthy," Tenten murmured as she rubbed her belly. "And I want a girl because that would eat at Neji," Tenten mused.

"Oh?"

"Oh yeah, he was all oh so mighty and proud, he was a Hyūga, and I was an inferior girl of a civilian family, it would be funny if he had a daughter," Tenten chuckled.

"Yeah!" Hinata giggled a bit at the sight of Neji being a father to a daughter.

* * *

Naruto had to admit he was pleased with himself as he sat in his apartment. It was good to know that he had Sakura going to the Rinne Festival with him when she was Sakura.

Now he would just have to get her to see him as boyfriend material.

It shouldn't be that hard, he had changed a lot over these past few months, and he was becoming his own man. A knock on the door had him rousing from his own thoughts as he walked to the door and opened it, he found himself staring at an ANBU member.

"The Sixth Hokage has summoned you," the ANBU said as he handed him a scroll. Which Naruto took and then the ANBU was gone. Carefully Naruto unrolled the scroll before hurrying to the Hokage's office. This was not good, it wasn't bad yet, but it was not good for sure and he had a feeling that it needed to be dealt with swiftly.

Landing in the Hokage's office he skidded to a stop before Kakashi.

"What do we do!?" Naruto demanded.

"That is why we are here to discuss it Naruto," Kakashi answered.

"But I thought… I thought Sasuke had killed Orochimaru," Naruto sputtered out.

"No, it appears the snake slithered out of it's old hiding hole, I thought the war had killed him," Naruto turned at the second voice and saw Yamato there.

"Orochimaru is being charged as a war criminal, Naruto, we were wondering what you wanted to do about this," Kakashi said and Naruto stiffened.

Truthfully, he hadn't thought anything of Orochimaru or his goons, now that Sasuke was theirs again Orochimaru wasn't a real worry of his. But Orochimaru had killed their Third Hokage, and even if the snake had aided them in the war, Naruto didn't know what to do about the snake.

Personally he wanted nothing more than to have Orochimaru killed; end a lot of misery. But a life was a life, and life should be valued, even if it belonged to scum like Orochimaru.

"I-Is he going to… to go after Sasuke?" Naruto asked.

"We don't know," Kakashi said.

"I say we monitor him, learn his associates and slowly take out that network. It would save us a lot of time in the future," Yamato grumbled.

"Yes, it would, but if we let him live then there the possibility that he will do something else," Kakashi countered and Naruto just stood there dumbly.

He didn't know how to react to this news, he didn't even know what he wanted to do; personally he wanted Orochimaru to be gone and eradicated from the face of the earth. But Naruto had never killed anyone in his life.

He didn't know if he was ready to condemn a man to die just because he was different from them. Naruto was not certain about that at all.

Though Kurama grumbled he wanted the snake gone.

* * *

Hinata was walking with Sakura, and she was wondering if there was a way to clarify just what Naruto was to Sakura without embarrassing herself. Sighing she gave up trying; because she had been thinking about it all night and dared to peek at the pinkette. Sakura seemed to be lost in her own thouhgts, so Hinata bit her lip and steeled her back bone as she slowly opened her mouth to ask Sakura what she wanted, no needed, to know.

"S-Sakura?"

"Hm?"

"Are… are you… dating Naruto?" she choked out and stared at her feet, her heart slamming mercilessly in her ribs and her blood roaring in her ears.

"Everything I said girls' weekd holds true Hinata," Sakura replied softly. "No, I am not dating him, nor am I ever going to date him. It would be like dating my brother, if I had a brother. I'm going to the Rinne Festival with him because that what we've been doing for years. And when I don't go with him, I go with Kakashi or Sai or even Yamato. I'm not ever going to be the one who loves him as he needs."

"O-Oh," she stammered as she felt her face heating up painfully. She swallowed her minimal pride though as she continued. "I-I'm Sor…" she started.

"Don't worry about it Hinata," Sakura cut off. She dared to peek at the pinkette and saw Sakura smiling. "I'm rooting for you, besides…"

"Huh?" Hinata blinked not catching the last bit Sakura said.

"Nothing!" Sakura chuckled and Hinata felt herself smile a bit ass they resumed walking.

"I just…" she started trying to explain herself because she didn't want Sakura to think little of her.

"You don't need to say it, he's yours and if I have to pound his hordes of fangirls for you, I will," Sakura assured her. Hinata quivered as she felt her face heat up a few degrees more.

"Thank you Sakura," she whispered.

"No problem. so about joining us at the Rinne Festival; want to?"

"Y-Yes," she admitted reluctantly.

"Good, I'm inviting you, and I'll leave Naruto in your care," Sakura smiled.

"Huh?"

"Well, I have to interrogate Sai's new girl, and I can't have Naruto around when I do that. He'll like her," Sakura blankly stated. Hinata giggled, she didn't know if Naruto had anyone he dislike immensely.

"Oh," she nodded as her giggles subsided.

"Just… be patient with him, Hinata," Sakura said. And she looked at the pinkette again and saw a sister asking someone to watch after her brother. It was something close to honor which flooded her then.

"I will," she smiled softly and Sakura nodded.

"Good," she chuckled and they parted ways. Hinata was now kind of excited for the Rinne Festival. Perhaps she would still be able to get Naruto to see her as something other than a friend or comrade. She wanted him to see her, she wanted it so desperately.

"Onēsan! How was the party!" Hanabi shouted as she skipped up to her.

"Oh… fine,"

"Did you tell Tenten what she's having!?" Hanabi demanded eagerly.

* * *

 **What do you guys think Tenten is having!? A boy or a girl!? O.o**

 ***Please know I already have it planned but I'm curious as to what all of you think in this matter.**

* * *

 **For those of you wondering I had a wonderful holiday, lots of turkey and naps, lots of food, and set up Christmas. Though I am still trying to figure out how it is that I am the daughter who always ends up on the roof to set up lights rather than my sister; I have an irrational fear of falling off the damn roof. It isn't the height or the fall that scares me so much as it is the SPLAT part that terrifies me. Weird, I know, but it is what it is; I guess.**

 **Anyways, until New Years this will get weekly updates rather than the original dual weekly updates. After New Years... who knows. =)**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	38. Part 1: Chapter 38

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 38**

Hinata was standing there as the Hyūga maids' dressed her. She was… Hinata found herself, oh Kami, she was nervous, she was nervous about this entire night, this was the most important festival of the year; the Rinne Festival was sacred, and it was important and it was… it was everything that Konoha had once been before it was a fun festival.

Sighing she looked at herself in the mirror as she watched her maids prepare her.

If it did not happen to be tradition then she would have been embarrassed about being helped to be dressed up this formally. But it was tradition and she had been dealing with it since she had been a child. Her mother had once said that this was the only time a Hyūga showed off their beauty, and Hinata kind of believed her as she stood there patiently.

"Onēsan!" a shout came with pounding feet.

"I see Mistress Hanabi is still learning decorum," a maid chuckled. Shyly Hinata smiled back.

"She is," Hinata whispered. The maids chuckled but then the door was thrown open with an undignified thud as her little sister came marching in.

"What is it Hanabi?" Hinata asked softly as she was directed to sit while the maids slowly started pulling up her hair. This would take an hour, she knew that and she was prepared to be patient as they pulled, and combed, brushed, and delicately pulled it up into an introcate style which would take hours to undo, but would be worth it.

"Father said I was to attend the festival with the Taketori!" Hanabi whined.

"Is that a problem?" Hinata asked as her hand was picked up and a maid started filing her nails.

"I don't like Takeshi! He's all greasy, I don't want to go with him!" Hanabi sighed as she threw herself dramatically on the bed.

"Boys and girls are at that age, right now Hanabi," the oldest maid said.

"It's just gross! And he leers at me! I don't have breasts yet and he's leering at me!" Hanabi said indignantly which had a few maids chuckling and Hinata's lips curving. She remembered being Hanabi's age.

It her first year as a genin though when puberty had decided to rear it's ugly head on her; the body changes were so fast, so sudden, and then there was her period. It was mortifying. She could remember wearing heavy sweatshirts to hide her blooming figure from the boys because it was so embarrassing! Hinata had often wished to be like Sakura or Ino who were still sticks back then; well, Sakura was still a stick now, but the point was Hinata had not liked her body.

She wasn't overly fond of her voluptuous body but she had found she could live with it. Though breast binding for missions hurt!

"Don't worry about getting to puberty Hanabi, you will get there," the maid assured her sister.

"I know, but… it's just creepy!" Hanabi insisted. Hinata chuckled.

* * *

Naruto was so giddy as he walked up to Sakura's door and raised his hand to knock. Kurama was still grumbling that this wasn't their girl but Naruto did not care; he loved Sakura and it was time for her to see it was not a love of friendship. The door opened then and he looked at her; she was pretty!

"Hey Naruto, ready to go?" she asked as she stepped out.

"Oh yeah! I got this night planned!" he stated eagerly, and he did have this all planned out. There would be no little kid nonsense, this was going to be the Rinne Festival where Haruno Sakura fell in love with him.

"That's wonderful," she smiled as they walked down the stairs towards the festival. He was going to kiss her, he was, and he would do it was right to do it. He was giddy with the thought, he'd be Sakura's first kiss ever, and that thought was… exhilarating. But he kept it to himself.

"What about you Sakura!? Excited for the festival!?" he grinned at her.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I am looking forward to kicking your ass at the strength game though."

That wasn't the answer he was expecting or wanting but he could work with it. And he would work with it.

"You're not going to beat me!" he shouted at her.

"Wanna bet?" she blandly asked as she jabbed her thumb at her seal. He frowned; so he was down an arm and she was up a seal, but… he had Kurama! The fox rolled his eyes.

"Yeah! Loser has to kiss the winner!" he declared; either way he'd win! And he liked that.

"Uh-uh," she shook her head then. "Loser owes the winner a favor, more reasonable."

"Fine," he rolled his eyes. Sakura was going to be so surprised tonight, because before the night was over she would be his girl and he would get her to realize she loved him. it was a solid plan in his mind as he grinned about it and then started to tell her all about what he had been doing with the Hokage.

"Here," he said as he grabbed a mallet and dropped it in her hands and he hefted the other over his shoulder.

"Yeah, don't cry if I win," he said proudly as he puffed up his chest.

"Ah… are you going to cry if I win?" she pouted, he stumbled for a moment.

"Never!" he shouted at her and he walked up to the platform. Summoning his cloak he pulled one of Kurama's tails to be his arm the drew back as he slammed down on the weight with the minimal strength he had in this form. The weight soared up and hit the bell. He smirked at Sakura.

"Not bad, not bad," she applauded. "Now step aside and let a real master show you how to do it."

Naruto was then aware of the fact that he should have never bet with Sakura.

* * *

Hinata was finally ready to have her layers of silks pulled on as she stood there patiently. Hanabi was chattering away the entire time.

Apparently Hanabi was miffed that Konohamaru hadn't asked her to the Rinne Festival, but had instead taken Moegi; Hanabi was annoyed with the boy's dense skull. The crush Hanabi had had on the boy had been monumental and now it was dead because Konohamaru had made his choice and taken Moegi instead of her. Hinata's baby sister was certain that she would never again hold affections for a boy who would chose Moegi over her.

Hinata just chuckled in amusement at her sister's declarations.

"Hanabi, you cannot force a boy to like you," Hinata chided softly.

"Yeah, but… I mean, come on, Moegi!?" Hanabi whined as she fell back on the bed. "I'd rather marry the man on the moon than have to deal with liking Konohamaru again."

"Oh, and if the man on the moon were to wish to marry you?" Hinata asked as she followed the maid's instructions and lifted her arms.

"Then I would live on the moon and laugh at all the humans down below," Hanabi decided.

"Hanabi!" Hinata scolded.

"Alright, maybe not laugh," Hanabi sighed.

"Be careful what it is you wish for, Mistress, it could very well be that there's a man on the moon awaiting to marry a Byakugan-hime," the maid chided.

"I doubt it, and besides, if he's real, he'd want to marry onēsan," Hanabi said as she was being dressed.

"I doubt that," Hinata whispered. Hinata did not know of a single man who would want to marry a woman who's heart belong to another, it would hurt so much. which was why Hinata bit her crimson lip and tried not to think about how much she loved Naruto.

"You are almost ready Hinata," the maid informed her.

"Thank you," she smiled a bit.

"Of course," the maid nodded and they continued with their work. Hinata wondered if Naruto was going to notice her, would he call her beautiful? Or pretty? Or would he even care? Sighing she tried not to think of the depressing thoughts that were leading her to this train of thought.

She would enjoy her evening with Naruto and Sakura, and whoever else joined them because she did not have the responsibility of entertaining the Taketori clan this holiday because they only knew Hanabi.

"Hey, no crying," Hanabi said when the maids declared them done. "You go there and you show that Sakura's nothing compared to you, Naruto would be an idiot not to see you, onēsan!"

"It is not that simple," she murmured.

"It is, and if you have to, take Sakura down!" Hanabi gleefully declared as she waved and skipped off.

Hinata sighed, she wouldn't hurt Sakura; Sakura was her friend and Hinata wanted to keep that friendship. But she still wanted for Naruto to love her back. Was that too much to ask for? Was it too much to desire?

* * *

"That's how it's done Naruto," Sakura declared as the weight soared off the game.

"Damn shinobi, every damn year!" the owner grumbled. Naruto was sniggering though until that weight made a small crater just a step away from his toes, then he paled.

"You know, that's not fair," he grumbled as they walked off together.

"Perhaps not, but all is fair in winning," she mused as she held her prize; a fan that was red and white; Naruto hated it.

"So…" he started awkwardly. "Sakura… how are you… how is everything going?" he asked uncertainly.

"Huh? Oh! Good! The research for your arm is solid, Tsunade…" she started and he stopped listening as he stared at her lips, they were plump, full, and they looked so soft. He wanted to just lean over and give her a peck.

"That's good," he absently agreed, not really listening to her talk. He was the one who liked talking and he didn't know how to get her to listen to him when she wanted to talk either.

However, as she spoke of all her projects he couldn't take it anymore; and though Kurama was screaming in the back of his head not to do it, he couldn't stop himself. He leant over her and lightly pressed his lips to hers as she talked. Sakura stopped, and he lightly tried to deepen the kiss, but she seemed frozen. Still, as his tongue traced her lips he could taste cherry on her, and found it had never tasted sweeter as he pulled away grinning and looked at her.

Her cheeks had a dusting of pink.

"I've been… I've been wanting to do that Sakura…" he stammered uncertainly, but her head looked down, her pink bangs covering her face.

"I'm sorry Sakura, I like you, I want you to be my girlfriend but I didn't know how to ask you so I'm asking now, Sakura would you like to…

"Sakura?" he looked at her, she trembled, and he was internally panicking, there was a small gasp from her, and before he could ask her what was wrong she bolted away.

"Sakura!" he shouted as he tore after her. She was fast, she ducked down an alley, but he wasn't giving up on her that easily, not after everything they had been through.

She was the girl for him, she was the only girl who got him, and she was the only one he loved.

"Sakura! Wait up!" he shouted after her even as Kurama snapped at him to let her go; she wasn't their girl.

Naruto didn't relent though as he tried to catch her. they were out of the festival grounds by then, nearing the Hyūga compound.

"Sakura!" he shouted after her.

She didn't slow, she ran into a park, he tried to keep up with her, but stumbled on some ice. Still he continued the chase. He would get her to just listen to him, it wasn't like he was going to maul her!

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	39. Part 1: Chapter 39

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 39**

"Sakura… wait, why won't you…!" he shouted as he chased after her and she turned to him with tears in her eyes.

" **Kami Naruto, do you really not get it, it's not going to be me!** " she said softly.

"Sakura, you can't know that for certain…" he started.

" **Naruto, you don't love me, you love the idea of me, you love me because I happen to love your rival** ," Sakura said firmly.

"How do you know you can't come to love me!?" he demanded.

"Because Naruto! I love you already, but…" she grabbed him, her lips smashed to his and Naruto was stunned for a moment, feeling her lips against his and then she pulled away. "Tell me Naruto, what did you feel just now? Did I make your heart skip a beat? Did I steal your breath? Did I destroy your thoughts? Did you feel _**that**_ spark?"

"Uh…" he started because he could only stare at her as he thought about her questions and slowly he decided not to lie to her as he shook her head; his heart was still beating steady, he could think, he was breathing, and there hadn't been a spark that he had felt. "No but maybe if you try again…"

"That's not how this works Naruto," she murmured and let him go as she stepped back.

"I love you Sakura," he repeated.

"Yes you do, but not in the way you're trying to love me."

"But…" he started again.

"Naruto, love is not something you can force, and it's not easy to stop. It's a force of it's own that comes into your life, it's not something you can be forced to feel. If you felt it you'd know what you feel for me is an infatuation," she said calmly. "At the most Naruto it's an infatuation, you don't see me, you see an idea and that's what you're reaching for. You're not reaching for me, you're trying to beat Sasuke. And that's alright, it is, because I know you don't love me _**that**_ way."

"Sakura, I do love you, this is not an infatuation," he argued.

"Naruto, what are my flaws, what are the habits I have that drive you nuts, what is there about me you would change if you could?" she asked seriously.

"You're perfect Sakura! I love everything about you, and there's nothing I'd change about you aside from maybe your temper," he said firmly as he grabbed her wrists to pull her in closer, Sakura's hands splayed on his chest to keep him at bay then.

"Naruto, I am atrocious bitch, there is no point in denying it when everyone says it. I care more about my work and missions than I do about hanging out and giving you the attention you crave and need. I have the hottest tempered, I'm hot headed, I'm hard headed, I am stubborn and I pick fights; those are just my biggest flaws that I can name right now. I know you don't like it when I start babbling, I know you don't like it when I work all night, and I am the worst cook on the planet, that's alright," she assured him. "And my temper is something you would change about me, but not something I'd ever change about myself. I like who I am Naruto, and I have long since accepted every part of me, even when it hurts and I want to cry and break down. I suffer from depression at times, I have nightmares about the war and Sasuke and you, I have always had to struggle to get you to see me for me.

"You have an infatuation with me Naruto, and it's not love," she said softly.

"How do you know what I feel Sakura!?" he shouted at her.

"As a genin I read this somewhere, I couldn't tell you were it was because I have never found it again but it went like this and I've never forgotten it:

' _ **They say love is blind. I disagree. Infatuation is blind, love is all-seeing and accepting. Love is seeing all the flaws and blemishes and accepting them. Love is accepting the bad habits and mannerisms, and working around them. Love is recognizing all the fears and insecurities and knowing your role is to comfort. Love is working through all the challenges and painful times. Infatuation is fragile and will shatter when life is not perfect. Love is strong and it strengthens because it is real.**_ '

"That is so very true and I know because I love a man I shouldn't love, Naruto. And I love you, but not like what you need, not what you crave, and not what you seek," she said softly and smiled slightly. "There are times I wished I loved you instead, but I can't; and believe me Naruto I've tried to love you how you want. But it's never going to be me."

"So that's it, you won't give me a shot?" Naruto said.

"Naruto…" she sighed. "If we tried, we would ruin our friendship, and if we did get married, in time you would come to hate me."

"How do you know? Are you clairvoyant?" he snapped.

"No, but the fact I have to talk about this right now tells me I'm right and I think you know I'm right too," she said as she looked him in the eye. Naruto stared at those green eyes he knew so well, and had always wanted to look at him like he was the hero in her world. "Naruto, you and I, we're like fire and oil, we're highly flammable and we can serve a purpose together but we're very destructive. And over time, you would come to resent me, and you are one of the few I love so I couldn't bear it if you hated me."

"Sakura, then… what do I do?" he asked as he gave up.

"You let me go Naruto, and you look in front of you at what has always been there, and if you let that girl slip under your nose you'll have no one to blame but yourself," she said gently. "I do wish I loved you how you need, and how you want me to love you, but…"

"You love Sasuke; how do you know that's not an infatuation?" Naruto spat out.

"Oh believe me, I wish that was an infatuation because then I wouldn't be explaining this to you," she sighed. "Naruto, your perfect girl, she's literally right in front you, and I think you know this deep down. But you need to let your infatuation with me go to see her."

"Who is it?"

"That's not for me to tell Naruto, but she's real, and she loves you so much that I envy her. She's way too good for you, but I know you make her feel like the one in a million she is. She loves you Naruto, she's loved you for so long, I actually envy her, because when you figure out she's your one you'll treat her like the queen she is. But never take her for granted Naruto, because just as you haven't noticed her yet, she could slip away when you're not looking, but she'll never love another," Sakura assured him.

"Sakura, how do you know you love Sasuke?" he asked softly.

"Because Naruto, it's there, and it has never gone away once I stopped acting like a fangirl," she said and stood up.

"Will you tell me who she is?" he asked her.

"No, because that's for her to tell you, she just needs to get the courage up," Sakura said and walked away.

"Sakura!" he called out.

"Hm?"

"We're… we're still friends, right?" he asked uncertainly. He would be devastated if he lost her friendship.

"Naruto, we're always going to be family, you're like my little brother, and that will never change or break, or disappear on you, I'm your friend until the day I die," she said.

"I wish you loved me too, Sakura," he whispered after she was gone and sniffled. He looked up at Hinata when she walked down the street and quickly forced a smile for her.

"Are you alright Naruto?" she asked softly.

"Uh… yeah, just, got in an argument with Sakura again at the festival," he said truthfully.

"Oh," she nodded.

"You look pretty," he said noticing her kimono then and how her hair was swept up. She blushed then.

"Do you like it?" she whispered as she stepped back for him to see her better. It was a pale purple kimono with an intricate design of orange, yellow, green and blue in it as accents, it looked like a sunflower field and he smiled.

"You look gorgeous," he admitted as he stood up and brushed off his own garments. He had originally come to the Rinne Festival, but it appeared they weren't going together. Hinata turned another shade of red and he thought she looked very cute that red.

"Th-Thank you," she stammered.

"Hey, you want to hang out with me for the festival?" he asked.

* * *

Hinata just about fainted at his question but she had calmed her heart enough to nod and they walked together. She kept her hands firmly clasped on her little handbag as she walked with Naruto through the festival and chuckled at the games, he won her a few prizes; nothing grand. They ate at Ichiraku's booth and she had never had so much fun in her life. She could not remember being so happy or relaxed, even when her tongue was tied in knots with her nerves and his closeness to her. It was fun!

"So Hinata, did I steal you from a date or something?" he asked her as they walked together.

"Oh… N-no, no date," she stammered out. She didn't admit she was originally meeting up with him and Sakura.

"Really? But you're all dressed up!" he gestured to her outfit and she nodded.

"The Rinne Festival is very important to the Hyūga, and I… I like this kimono," she blushed.

"It's very beautiful," Naruto nodded.

"Thank you," she mumbled. "It was my mother's."

"Why didn't you have a date?" he asked. She tensed then.

"Oh… um… no one asked me," she said hesitantly and he frowned at that. Hinata didn't mention she had turned down her father's arranged suitor for her because she had been invited by Sakura to join him him, and she wanted to see if she could, in the time she had bought herself, manage to get Naruto to see her. Perhaps Hanabi was right and she needed to stop being passive about trying to get Naruto to see her. She wouldn't be up front, but she would just try to get him to notice her.

"How come? You're gorgeous," Naruto said, she felt her face heating dangerously as her heart did a few dozen flips.

"Uh…" she shrugged; her tongue wasn't working at this moment.

"Well, people are stupid," Naruto decided.

"Mmm," she hummed because it was all she could manage.

"So, what do you want to do!?" Naruto grinned as his arms rested on the back of his head then.

"Uh… I don't know," she murmured.

"My treat tonight, we'll do whatever you want to do!" Naruto declared and she blushed some more.

"Where do you want to go?" she decided.

"Alright," Naruto shrugged and she found herself dragged to every stall, they chatted; well, he did most the talking, but she listened and smiled at his cheesy jokes. He had an infinite amount of horrible jokes, it was amusing. She had fun today, the only time she said 'no' was to the dancing and that was because it was couples dancing. She was surprised to see Temari and Shikamaru dancing, and Kiba dancing with Ino.

Naruto had walked her home when it was early in the morning; or late at night; depending on how one looked at the clock.

"I-I had a fun time tonight," she murmured and smiled.

"Yeah, I did too, despite… everything," he shrugged. She didn't ask him to elaborate because she was certain it had to do with him and Sakura and why he had been in tears when she had seen him.

"Thank you," she said and he smiled.

"See you later!" he bellowed and jogged off, she chuckled to herself and walked into the Hyūga compound with her heart in flutters and butterflies in her stomach.

Best night of her life.

* * *

 **Now, before everyone tells me that Hinata's just being a second pick to Sakura in this story, I'm going to point out right now that Naruto's crush on Sakura was known from the moment she was introduced in the manga to Chapter 699. I don't ship Naruto & Sakura and never have shipped it; I can only see the Naruto & Sakura ship going up in flames if they were married; but she is important to him. This thing he had for Sakura was also never resolved from what I read so...**

 **Sorry if it doesn't feel like a 'Naruto & Hinata' story still, but this crush he has needed resolving.**

* * *

 **I have a busy week coming so here's this coming week's update.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	40. Part 1: Chapter 40

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 40**

Hinata woke morning after the festival feeling happy as she hummed to herself. She had never had so much fun! Not with anyone, and last night Naruto, despite obviously being hurt, had called her beautiful, gorgeous, and pretty, she had found her heart fluttering at his praise and she had been happy about his praise. She had wanted to ask him what had him crying, but she didn't because she didn't want to intrude, and if he wanted to talk to her about it he would talk. They were friends after all.

Sighing she stepped into her shower and savored the warm steam before washing her body off and scrubbing her hair. she would go visit with Tenten today, it was a few days before the scheduled surgery and she didn't want Tenten to be alone.

Well, Tenten wasn't alone, but Hinata found that she wanted to hang out with her friend before the birth of her nephew; cousin; whatever the baby would be to her, was born and Tenten would be a mother. Stepping out of the shower Hinata wrapped her hair up in a towel as she rubbed in the lotion she used and toweled off her body.

She felt really pretty today; perhaps it was just Naruto's kind words from last night but she felt it for a change. And it had her smiling as she finished. Blowing her hair dry so it didn't freeze to ice had her sighing in bliss at the warmth before she got dressed. Once ready she walked out of the Hyūga house into the could; cursed intnerally as the wind ripped through her and she pulled her scarf a little tighter around herself as she rubbed her mitted hands.

Hurrying through the holiday bustle of Konoha gasped as the icy winds tore through her to the bone. Making her way to Tenten's not yet open shop she stumbled in.

"Tenten!?" Hinata called out.

"Up here," the intercom spoke. Hinata grinned a little as she hurried her way up to Tenten then.

"Hello, Tenten, how are you feeling today?" Hinata asked, she noticed her pale friend then.

"Just a little under the weather, but I'm great!" she smiled.

"It turned out wonderfully," Hinata murmured as she turned a bit and looked around the apartment.

"Yeah, it's nice," Tenten admitted. "Guy and Lee finished setting it up for me yesterday, Kurenai and I finished the nursery. Now everyone is moved it," she yawned.

"You must be exhausted," Hinata said.

"Just a little under the weather, sleepy too," Tenten yawned. Hinata hesitated a moment before touching Tenten's pale brow, it was hot. She noticed the way Tenten winced then.

"I'm fine," she insisted.

"I don't think so," Hinata murmured and she activated her Byakugan then.

The chakura in Tenten's system was going all straight to the baby, in massive surges.

"Tenten, are you…?" she started to ask, Tenten's knees buckled then.

"TENTEN!" Hinata screamed as she surged forward to catch her friend.

* * *

Naruto didn't know how to feel this morning when he had woken up. Was he broken hearted?

That was the question in his mind as he lay there staring at the ceiling. Shouldn't he be hurt? Dejected? Pissed? Hurting? Or something? he wondered. He had kissed a girl last night, a girl he had loved since he had been twelve, and she had rejected him; outright, with no hesitation. She had hurt him, she had purposely hurt him, and he should be hurting. But as he stared at his ceiling he only felt at peace.

Sighing he wondered if Sakura was right.

Had he really felt nothing more for her than an infatuation? And now that she had out right told him that it was never going to happen he was… well, at peace? Naruto didn't know as he sat up slowly and looked around his apartment. He wanted to feel something, anything, but he just felt… peaceful.

It was like she had put something in him to rest, and Naruto didn't know if that was a good thing as he stood up and walked to his cabinets. He wanted to be mad at her, he wanted to be hurt because of her, but he wasn't.

Sighing he pulled out the ramen and started making it as he thought about this.

He had had a lovely night with Hinata after he and Sakura had finished yelling at one another. And Hinata hadn't asked him about it. He was rather surprised though to see her and to see how lovely she was looking that night. Naruto wasn't one notice the little things, but he hadn't been able to look away from Hinata last night.

Groaning he scratched his scalp, then grabbed his breakfast as he sat down and ate in peace.

He wanted to talk to Sakura about this but he guessed that he shouldn't. It wasn't going to be him to apologize this time either, Sakura could do that this time to. Naruto didn't want to lose their friendship but he also didn't want to admit that she was right about this as well. It wasn't going to easy to admit that apparently his crush on Sakura was nothing because she had shattered it last night so effortlessly.

Slurping up his breakfast awkwardly he decided to get dressed and spend the day training. Perhaps he'd spend it working with Konohamaru. It would be a quiet day after the festival.

Naruto was surprised that nothing had happened with the festival and the threat, but he supposed Sai was right. Still Naruto wanted people to know what had almost happened. Or could have happened.

Grumbling Naruto yanked on a coat as he walked out of the apartment and wonder briefly where Sakura was. However, he decided he wasn't going to approach her until she came to him. Until then he would leave her be, also he figured this was the time to think about his feelings for her and straighten those out.

Then there was the matter of his prosthetic arm, he would have to go in after Christmas to see how that was going and he had an appointment for then already set up.

"Big brother Naruto!" a voice shouted.

"Hey Konohamaru, I was just looking for you!" he grinned as he turned to see the young boy jogging up to him.

"I know!" Konohamaru grinned.

"How'd the Rinne Festival go?" Naruto asked.

"Aw… Moegi kissed me, Hanabi slapped me," Konohamaru blushed.

"Why?"

"Moegi kissed me because she liked me, Hanabi slapped me for kissing Moegi, and I just… girls are confusing! They're both mad at me now!" Konohamaru sighed.

"And that's good?" Naruto mused; the boy looked far too smug to be discontent about this.

"Well, it means they both like me," Konohamaru grinned. "The sexiness of Konohamaru is getting to the both of them!"

"You're thirteen, not very sexy," Naruto pointed.

"Shut up! I have more girls than you!" Konohamaru snapped.

"Oh! Naruto!"

"Over here!"

"Naruto!"

"I see him!"

"Quick get his picture!"

"Will you marry me!?"

He linked at the horde of coming girls.

"Gotta go!" Konohamaru grabbed his arm and they both ran. Naruto took to the roofs as fast as he could as he made his way to the Hokage Mountain. He skidded to a stop at the base of it, Konohamaru appeared a moment later.

"Seriously, they're rabid!" Konohamaru panted.

"Tell me about it, they're everywhere! I can't walk the block without someone taking my picture or trying to ask me out!" he sighed. He got it, he saved the world, he was now considered cool, and he was trying to just… well, become Hokage.

"I like that I'm not favored by the fangirls," Konoamaru admitted.

"Huh," Naruto nodded. He hadn't thought of them as fangirls, but he guessed that's what they were. fangirls.

Never again was he irritating the teme about the fangirls, never again.

"This is ridiculous," Naruto sighed.

"Don't look at me, I don't have fangirls," Konohamaru shrugged.

"I don't like this, too many girls like the zombie apocalypse with fangirls," Naruto huffed.

"It'll get worse," he sighed. Never would he again make fun of the teme for the fangirls.

"I just… I saved the world, and now they're everywhere," he sighed.

"Well, you saved the world," Konohamaru pointed out. Naruto sighed. "How'd your date go with Sakura?"

"It didn't, she didn't even give me a shot," he sighed. "I don't get girls," Naruto admitted.

"They are confusing," Konohamaru agreed and they both sat on the mountain staring down at Konoha. It was so peaceful as they sat there.

"Do you think I don't love her?" Naruto asked.

"Hm?"

"Sakura. she said I didn't love her, I loved the idea of her," Naruto said.

"I don't know," Konohamaru shrugged and Naruto sighed. It wasn't fair, but he was starting to wonder if she was right. What if he didn't love her?

Naruto didn't know as he rubbed his eyes and tried not to think about it.

* * *

Hinata caught Tenten and screamed for help then as she heft the woman up.

There was the sound of the door coming down, she turned and saw a half dressed Lee.

"Tenten!" he gasped.

"We need to get her to the hospital! I'll go get Sakura!" Hinata gasped, Lee scooped up Tenten then, and ran, Hinata bolted after him as she used her Byakugan to hone in on Sakura. Racing through the village she skidded before Sakura's door and pounded with all her strength then.

"I'm coming," Sakura called out, the door opened and Hinata stared at the red, wet eyed Sakura. she'd care about that later.

"I'm sorry, it's Tenten, I think… I think she went into labor, her body… the baby, chakra…!" Hinata gasped, Sakura was out of the apartment then and grabbed Hinata's wrist as they ran.

"What exactly was going on with her?" Sakura demanded.

"All of her chakra was surging into her and the baby, it looked like she was about to explode!" Hinata gasped.

"Alright, where is she?" Sakura demanded.

"Lee took her to the hospital and I came for you.

"Alright, I'll take care of her," Sakura said as they blasted into the hospital. Sakura shouted orders as she ran for a room. Hinata followed when she was caught by Lee, and Sakura disappeared in the doors then.

"Sakura will take care of her now," Lee said calmly as he held her.

"But!" Hinata protested.

"We must trust her," Lee said as he released her. Hinata bit her lip as she took a seat with Lee. He was wearing a hospital sweatshirt and they waited. It felt like an eternity, it was probably only a few hours though. And within that time her father had shown up, Kurenai did too, and Guy with Kurenai as he held Mirai. The anxiety of everything was weighing on them when there was a door creaking open, Sakura walked out and pulled off her mask.

"How are they?" her father demanded, surging to his feet, she walked to stand beside him then as she worriedly watched Sakura's face for a hint of what had happened.

"They suffered massive chakra overload and massive chakra loss, the blood loss for Tenten was extensive but I managed to stop it. She's currently sedated, and will remain that way for the rest of the day, we want to observe her, then we will take her off of sedation and wait for her to wake on her own. I am mostly worried about the chakra loss, and her blood loss, but I will be monitoring her and I am hopeful that she will make a full recovery."

"And the child?" Hinata whispered.

"Tenten delivered a healthy baby, I am currently going to keep the baby in a NICU and I will be watching over the baby. For the time being I am going to keep the mother and child isolated, but the moment they're up for visitors I will allow them to have visitors," Sakura said as she walked away.

Hinata fell onto the bench in relief then.

"Thank you," her father said.

"Of course, I'll send a notice to you when she's ready for visitors," Sakura smiled as she walked off.

* * *

 **UtDI... Stories are my everything practice for just about everything from lemons, action, drama and conflicts. Nothing till X-Mas... busy, busy, busy... ;)**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	41. Part 1: Chapter 41

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 41**

Naruto was seriously confused by girls, he didn't understand them. At all.

Konohamaru had run off about an hour ago after filling him on his confusion of Hanabi and Moegi; which only served to further Naruto's confusion about girls. And after his young friend's elaborate love triangle (seriously, how was it a genin, preteen had more love life drama than him!?), had been thoroughly explained neither of them could make sense of up or down.

Which was why he sat on his father's carved face staring at the village as he wished for his parents to be here; desperately.

Naruto wanted to know their love story, he wanted to know how his father had known that his mother was 'the one'. And how his mother had known his father was her 'one'. It would help to have someone; anyone, to talk to about this matter.

Hell, even pervy sage's advice would be welcomed!

However the pervy sage hadn't gone insane with girls and all their contradictions, Naruto would never know. Then again, Jiraiya had had a way with people, a deep understanding and connection to them. Something Naruto sometimes he felt he lacked because he was… well, it appeared that for all his love of people, he could be very clueless about something apparently obvious.

'I tried to tell you,' a voice rumbled in the back of his head.

"You're not the best one to take love advice from," Naruto snapped.

'No, but Sakura was never yours,' Kurama snapped back.

Naruto scowled. He didn't like the fox's words.

"And how would you know? It's not like you had to love her, I mean I get we share my body, but that doesn't mean you have to love the people I do," Naruto grumbled.

'No, but I already know which one we love, and that's because she was never mean to us; even when you were a whiny pup.' Kurama argued.

"You know nothing!" Naruto hissed.

'Don't I? I'm a part of you, I know everything Naruto, I even know which ones you love, and which ones you don't, I know who I love, and who I like; and we share similar tastes in that regard,' Kurama grumbled.

"Oh yeah? And how do you feel about Sakura?" Naruto asked idly.

'Once she stopped hating you because everyone else hated you I found her to be pleasant, I am rather fond of the pinkette. But I've seen someone like her before and I know where they go,' Kurama said lazily. 'She's a nice girl, but not yours.'

"And which girl is mine?" Naruto asked.

'You'll know it when you figure it out," Kurama rumbled. Naruto frowned but figured that the fox was going to stay cryptic about this. Which was why he ran his hand through his hair nervously again and wondered what it was about girls that made them so damned complicated! Seriously!? Why couldn't things be simple!? It'd make his life easier. Getting up he stuffed his hand in his pocket and started walking to his place.

* * *

Hinata hadn't been able to rest or settle as she sat there anxiously in the hospital waiting room. She knew that Sakura had done a few things; like keeping them separated from Tenten, so that there wasn't so much stress but Kami was she stressed. The last she had seen, Tenten's chakra, and the baby's chakra, had been swirling dangerously together and had just about exploded. It wasn't pretty, and Hinata couldn't get that image out of her head as she sat there trying to not pace. Her father was pacing, Guy was giving Lee work out counts, Hanabi was sleeping, Kurenai was coming here in the hour; after she handed Mirai off to Shikamaru, and the rest of the Hyūga clan was sitting here very anxious.

Everything stopped, every head snapped up when they heard the footsteps. Hinata stared at the pinkette who smiled tiredly at them.

"She's awake, and she's ready to see you. word of caution, she is in pain, she had a C-section so do not ask her to move about," Sakura said pointedly. Hinata smiled a bit at the innocent faces Lee and Guy had, and looked at Sakura again. "The baby is to be in a NICU at least eighteen hours of the day, so please be careful with the child. Other than that, Tenten is a bit groggy but she wants to see all of you," Sakura smiled.

Hinata was on her feet as she hurried in front of everyone as quickly as she politely could; but she was worried about her friend. Deftly making it to Tenten's room she skidded to a stop seeing the brunette sitting up, and in her arms was a bundle of purple, with the Hyūga family crest stamped on the blanket. Slowly Hinata made her way over to Tenten and noticed then that she was the first here.

"Hey," Tenten smiled.

"How are you feeling?" Hinata asked as she clasped her hands together to prevent herself from reaching out for the baby.

"I'm sore… but… I'm good, would you like to meet you nephew?" Tenten asked dreamily as she looked at the baby.

"I knew it was a boy!" Hianta smiled.

"Of course you did, but I didn't, so would you like to meet him?" Tenten asked.

"Yes," she breathed as she slowly approached the bed. There was a streak of dark brown and Hanabi was on Tenten's otherside.

"Wow, he's got your eyes; not the color, the shape," Hanabi blurted out.

"I guess he does…" Tenten smiled.

"He looks like Neji and you," Hinata observed as she hesitantly reached out to touch the baby's dark head. Tenten nodded, and Hinata continued, she was startled with how soft the baby felt, how fragile he looked. He felt like a felt, and silk, and he squirmed with a huff.

"What are you going to call him?" Hanabi demanded as she played with his toes.

"Hajime," Tenten murmured. "He's my new beginning."

"Very suiting, Hyūga Hajime," Hiashi announced himself, she looked up to see her father standing there with pride.

"Would you like to hold your grand-nephew?" Tenten asked hesitantly. Hinata chuckled, she didn't think she had seen her father so close to losing his composure as he stood there gaping, but he nodded and slowly approached them. He held out his arms, Tenten transferred the baby to him and Hinata smiled at the sight of her father holding Neji's baby. He looked so close to tears, and she felt her own tear slip down her cheek which had her catching her breath then.

"He's a fighter," her father murmured.

"He is, Hyūga Hajime; born at 1022, December 22nd, at the healthy weight of 4.17 kg, and at the length of 45. 72 cm," Tenten said proudly and Hinata smiled.

"He's cute! Do I get to babysit him?" Hanabi demanded as she peeked at the baby their father held.

"Um…" Tenten hesitated.

"First rule of parenting, take help when it's offered," her father said firmly.

"Sure," Tenten smiled.

"I get to too," Hinata whispered to her friend. Tenten chuckled and held out her arms to take her baby back.

"Of course Hinata," Tenten murmured and rocked her baby who was fussing a bit. "Have you seen the letter Neji left me? I'd… I'd like to read it now," Tenten swallowed.

"Of course, I have it here!" Guy shouted as he was wheeled into the room with a grin and the letter in hand. Lee smiled behind him. Hinata chuckled.

"Let's give her some privacy," Hiashi said. Hinata hugged Tenten lightly as she walked out of the room and for the first time since walking into Tenten's apartment and having her collapse, she felt peace as she walked to the elevator.

She walked out of the hospital and right into an orange chest, which had her stumbling back as an arm shot out and caught her, yanking her into him. A startle squeak escaped her as she felt her face go aflame; knowing who had caught her.

"Whoa! Hinata! Carefull!" Naruto said as he let her go, she steadied herself.

"Sorry," she stuttered.

"Onēsan! We're going home! See you later!" Hanabi shouted as she all but dragged their father off, Hinata was mortified as she looked at Naruto.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her.

"Tenten… baby…" Hinata stuttered; cursing her thick tongue for coming then of all times.

"Oh!? What'd she have!?" Naruto grinned as they started walking into the hospital again.

"A boy," Hinata answered, feeling her tongue and throat loosen up.

"Aw!" Naruto cooed.

"Hyūga Hajime," Hinata filled in before asked for the name as they stood in the lobby.

"Is he cute!?"

"Adorable," she smiled at the memory of her nephew; and yes, she was going to think of Hajime as her nephew because Neji had been like a brother to her.

"That's great, I'm happy for her," Naruto said sincerely and she blushed a bit.

* * *

Naruto was smiling with genuine happiness at Hinata's news as they stood there in the lobby of the warm hospital. It was still miserable out, but it was warm in here and he found that to be a relief.

Hinata and he chatted for a few more minutes, he felt happy to talk to her, then he had to go. Naruto walked to Sakura's office to speak to her about the kiss and stuff, but he arrived at her office as Tsunade walked out.

"Hey Granny Tsunade," he smiled.

"Naruto! Perfect timing, you have an appointment with me, from now one I will be the one handling your arm," she said with a smile as she grabbed his arm and they walked down the hall.

"Huh? I thought Sakura…" Naruto started.

"Sakura has way too much work on her shoulders at the moment, with her working in pediatrics and OB-GYN, it's very tiring. Not to mention she's starting her clinic, and she had surgeries to perform, and running the hospital," Tsunade said briskly.

Naruto had a sinking feeling in his gut that he had fucked up something here and Sakura was going on her full out evasion mission. It wasn't a pleasant feeling as he was dragged after Tsunade for an arm appointment he didn't have scheduled. Sighing he knew that he'd have to sort this out with Sakura sooner or later, but for now… now he'd just leave it be and let her do her thing which meant he was going to do his thing.

His next hours were spent being poked and prodded by Tsunade, which wasn't fun but it was clear he was not escaping.

By the time it was over he walked to Sakura's office again, and again was disappointed at not seeing her, or knowing where she had gone.

Sighing he walked out of the hospital, his hand stuffed in his pocket, and his sleeve to as he walked to Ichiraku's. He and Sakura were going to have to talk at some point or another. They were friends, and they were going to have to be friends again, he couldn't stand the thought that he might lose her completely.

They had been friends since they were genin, and next to Sasuke, she was one of his most valued friends, sighing he sat down at Ichiraku's and ordered his usual.

"OMK! There he is!" a girl screeched, his head whipped around and he gaped as a horde of girls appeared.

"You're so hot up close!"

"Can you sigh my purse!?"

"Will you marry me!?"

"No! He's marrying me!"

"How'd you save the world!?"

"Can I have your chopsticks!?"

Naruto sighed, smiled and used what patience he had today to deal with these girls. He found that for a change, he didn't want the attention, he had wanted a quiet night out at Ichiraku's, but it appeared that wasn't going to happen as he smiled and talked with the girls.

If this was how Sasuke had felt as a child with all the girls then Naruto vowed to never make fun of Sasuke again.

* * *

 **Hajime- Male; means 'beginning'**

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	42. Part 1: Chapter 42

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 42**

Naruto ran into the Hokage office, slammed the door and peeked out the window as he watched the mob pass him. never again was he ever going to make fun of the teme for the fangirls, this was insanity in it's purest form. Sighing he got to his feet as he shoved his hand into his pocket as he walked up to the Hokage's office then.

"Hey Kakashi," he smiled at his mentor and friend, and Kakashi looked up with a glare.

"You and I are going to have a talk," Kakashi said icily as he stood up and they walked out of the office.

"What is this about?" Naruto asked uncertainly.

"You and Sakura."

"Um…"

"Naruto, stop, I'm here to tell you what she's never going to tell you and you're going to listen, then apologize," Kakashi stated.

"But I…" Naruto started. He was a bit miffed what Kakashi was saying to him, about him, because he truly didn't know what was going on here. Sakura and he hadn't spoken since the Rinne Festival, and if he didn't know better he'd have thought she was avoiding him. which was part of the reason he was trying not to think about it. He didn't think it was going to be awkward, but it was hard to gauge awkwardness.

"Naruto, you hurt her, she's not going to say anything about it because you are her best friend, and her brother. You've crushed her feeling for you every step of the way, but she's endured because she's your friend, so I'm telling right now, that girl is not a prize! You just want her because she loves Sasuke, and can promise you Naruto, that that will only end in broken hearts all around in the long run. She is not a prize to win from Sasuke, especially when Sasuke isn't even trying for her. That kiss crossed a line she's not going to tell you apologize for hurting her, she thinks she deserved that on some level.

"So, you will go apologize to her Naruto, and you will talk to her, and you will never do that again, Naruto. Sakura is not a prize in some contest you have going with Sasuke, she's your friend, your teammate, and your family, don't do this again unless there is something between you and her, and you are after her for her and not to beat Sasuke," Kakashi said before stalking off.

Naruto stood there dumb struck for a long moment before he let out a shuddering breath and let his head fell back as he stared up at the sky. Oh good Kami was this a mess. And Sakura was avoiding him at the moment, so he couldn't very well just walk up to her and talk to her. when Sakura avoided someone or something there was no catching her.

But to find out that he had hurt her, well that was something he had expected. He hadn't thought he had hurt her with the single kiss.

* * *

Hinata found herself humming as she knitted a cap for Hajime. It was a good evening for her, and she was very relieved that Hajime and Tenten were alright. She was also happy that Tenten had finally read the letter Neji had left for her. Hinata had known what had been in the envelope for months, since she had cheated and just peaked at what the contents held.

Sighing she looked up and the door when there was a knock.

Naruto was here? She was a bit confused but she still got up as she set aside her knitting and walked over to let him in.

"Hey," Naruto said weakly.

"Hello, what is it Naruto?" she asked softly as she let him in and shut the door again as they walked over to her portable heater.

"I just… if you had a friend who you like liked, but now you didn't know if you like like them anymore and everything is screwed up because you tried to kiss them and they scolded you and then… it just… it's confusing because now you don't know if you like like them or if it's an idea!" Naruto babbled and Hinata stood there stunned.

"Y-Y-You kissed Sakura?" she stammered.

"Uh…" Naruto fidgeted then. "I tried, I mean she's my best friend, she's like my sister, sh's the girl, and she was nice to me when I had no one and everyone hated my guts, plus she's kind of cute," Naruto shrugged.

Hinata sighed then.

Of course he would want a girl like Sakura. Sakura was the most powerful kunoichi of their generation, her strength surpassing Tsunade's and Sakura was gorgeous.

"But now it's all horribly screwed up and I think I might have just lost my best friend, and my mentor is pissed at me, and everyone's just… why couldn't this be easy. I get that she's in love with Sasuke but the teme will never love her, and I just… I thought I loved her," Naruto huffed.

"Thought?" she asked.

"I don't know anymore, I just… everything was simple before I kissed her and now that I have kissed her it's a giant mess and I don't know what to do or how to feel or anything! It's confusing," Naruto groaned.

"N-Naruto… you either love her or you don't," Hinata whispered softly as she hugged herself to keep herself from breaking at this news.

"Huh?"

"You love her or you don't, she's family," Naruto admitted.

"But do you love her?" Hinata questioned. She was asking as much for herself as she was Naruto and she wanted an answer. Needed an answer. An answer would help her and this situarion.

"I don't… I don't know," Naruto admitted.

"Wh-Why are you telling me this?" she whispered, her heart was breaking a bit and she was trying to keep it from shattering.

"Because… I don't know, but I… I really like you, you're a good friend and I just… I need to talk to someone about this and I'm going insane!" he huffed.

* * *

Naruto sighed as he looked at Hinata who was standing there red faced and adorable and he, again, felt that warmth in his chest at the sight of her standing there. It was a feeling he had felt at the Rinne Festival too.

"Um… I don't… I don't know what, what you want me to say," she stammered.

"I just… I guess I wanted to rant, but I just… I don't know, I'm just frustrated and confused," he admitted with a sigh.

"I… I understand. Loving someone who doesn't love you back," she murmured. "It… it's not going to get better, but… but perhaps you'll find someone new…"

"You think?" he asked, there was a hope in him blooming anew. If she could get over the person she loved then he could get over Sakura, he hoped.

"I… um…"

"Are you over the guy you love?" he demanded.

"Uh…" she turned redder as she started shaking her head. "N-No."

"What? Why not?" Naruto asked as he blinked at her answer. That didn't make sense to him, so he wanted to know why she wouldn't stop loving some jerk who didn't love her back?

"B-Beca-Because… I love him," she stammered softly.

"Huh, well, I hope you know that you deserve better than someone who isn't in love with you. you're an amazing girl," he admitted. And he thought about it carefully. Hinata deserved a guy wo would love her and see her for the amazing person she was. He hoped that she was going to be alright with her love life. She deserved the best.

Hinata smiled a bit for him and he smiled back. The warmth was still blooming in his chest, he liked this feeling, but he didn't get why he was feeling it.

"Um… thank you," she stuttered.

"It's true, you're great, anyone would be lucky to have you," Naruto smiled as he admitted that. He didn't feel any about what he had stated other than it was the truth. The woman deserved the world in his mind, Hinata was the sweetest, kindest, and gentlest person he knew.

"Th-Thank you," she smiled as she turned bright red.

"Thanks for listening Hinata, you're the best," he grinned before he started walking to leave the Hyūga house and he paused.

"I hope whoever you love Hinata, figures out that you're a really awesome person and that he falls in love with you too," he grinned as he looked at her.

"Um… I hope so too," she smiled a bit as he opened the door and waked out. He didn't know why he felt lighter than air now, but he felt better now that he spoken to someone about what was going on with Sakura and him.

Besides, Hinata was a calming person and he found her presence to be soothing and calming, and Hinata always seemed happy to see him.

She also made him feel warm and happy.

* * *

Hinata's heart stuttered as she watched Naruto leave and she smiled softly as she shut her door. If only he were saying he loved her, rather than saying he was confused and that she deserved the guy she loved when he was the guy she loved.

It would be nice if he had known that she was in love with him would he have said that? Would he be hung up on Sakura? Would he say he was in love with her? Would he even care?

Hinata sighed, she didn't know and that was why she was staying silent about her love of Naruto.

For as much as she loved him she couldn't tolerate the thought of him rejecting her. She had loved him for so long, and so deeply she couldn't bear the thought of him rejecting her if she confessed; right now.

Perhaps a bit later she could take if she was the one he didn't love this way but she couldn't handle it now. It wasn't fair, but she could handle unfair right now.

Returning to her seat Hinata wondered what it'd be like if she actually had Naruto's love in return. would he see her as his world, would he be a generous man, would he take her on dates, would he make her swoon, would he catch her? Hinata liked to think that he would catch her but she also had a feeling that he'd never see her though.

Which was her reality at this moment as she sat there knitting a hat for nephew. She wanted him to have a cute little hat for when he was release from the hospital. Which wouldn't be for a few weeks yet, which was plenty of time for her to complete her little beanie for him.

Humming under her breath she dreamt of making this for her own child, and if it were Naruto's child she hoped it'd inherit Naruto's boisterous personality and his bright eyes. Oh, she'd love any child she had, but she really wanted to be Naruto's wife. Which was possibly never going happen and she wasn't going to hope too much for that to happen for her.

More than likely Naruto would marry a really pretty girl worthy of the hero of the world.

Which was why she wasn't going to get her hopes up that she was going to get him to love her. still, it was nice to dream.

"Hinata," her father's voice called out.

"Yes father?" she looked up from her knitting then.

"Who was here?" he asked.

"Naruto, he just wanted to talk for a moment," she said softly.

"Hm." He grumbled.

"He just needed to talk, he had a fight with his friend," she explained.

"He grew up," was all her father commented on before he left.

She hummed in agreement as she continued her knitting. Naruto had grown up into a fine young man, and whoever married him would be a lucky girl.

* * *

 **Sorry for the long wait between updates here, but I received soul crushing news and I just needed a moment to step back and take a breather before I killed characters in UtDI... because I would do that to relieve some of my anger. Updates might not be fully regular again for a while because of said news, but I will try to keep up with updating here at least once a week.**

 **That's all for now folks.**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love =)**


	43. Part 1: Chapter 43

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 43**

Hinata walked to the restaurant, today she was meeting with Shino and Kiba, it was going to be an interesting. Kiba had said it was an emergency, but Hinata was just kind of excited to meet up with her friends. She hadn't had the time to really chat with them and felt a bit miffed that she didn't know what was going on in their lives. They were her teammates and her friends and she honestly didn't know what was going on in their lives at this moment.

She felt like a horrible friend for not even knowing the basics!

"Hello," she smiled as she walked into the restaurant.

"Hey Hinata! We weren't certain you'd make it!" Kiba grinned.

"I am glad you are here," Shino rasped as he looked up from his tea.

"I'm sorry, I've just been… busy," Hinata sighed wistfully. She'd been exhausted. Tenten had been released from the hospital earlier this week and Hinata had offered to help her with Hajime, and who knew a new born could be so exhausting!? Even if Hajime was a quiet baby compared to other babies; Mirai, and he didn't express the same intense curiosity in Mirai that Mirai had about him.

"You look exhausted!" Kiba observed, she just smiled as she slid into her seat, thankful that it was there so she didn't collapse; not that she would, but she was tired still.

"How have you been?" she asked as she placed a napkin in her lap as she picked up the menu.

"I have been arranged for a marriage," Shino sighed.

"Really dude!?"

"Yes, a prominent clan," he sounded indifferent to this but Hinata's heart ached for him. The Aburame Clan, though powerful, was never really a wanted clan and an arranged marriage did not sound plesant for him in her mind. Besides, Shino deserved someone who would see how wonderful he was, not someone picked for him because their personalities would work and it would form an alliance. Then again, she was going to be in the same boat here soon enough, so she would leave her opinions to herself.

"Is she at least hot?" Kiba asked.

"I do not know, I have never met her, she is of the refugees seeking shelter in Konoha," he shrugged.

"I don't like this, all the refugees as of late, former great shinobi families just coming here," Kiba huffed.

"What?" Hinata blinked, this was the first she was hearing of it.

"Yeah, the Shinobi Union is offering up `refuge to dozens of formerly neutral shinobi families who were desimated in the war when they joined our efforts," Kiba shrugged.

"Really?" Hinata blinked.

"Didn't you know, most the clans' elders have been raging in on the Hokage for this decision," Kiba said.

"I hadn't… I have been helping Tenten with Hajime," she whispered.

"Oh, wow, um… yeah, Konoha received about ten new families, they're integrating themselves into the village," Kiba informed her.

"And you're going to marry one?" Hinata asked Shino.

He nodded and she sighed.

"I wonder why this is happening now," she whispered.

"The world is coming into a new order," Shino stated. "With Naruto's heroic acts, and the forming of the Shinobi Union after the success of the Allied Shinobi Forces in the Fourth Great Shinobi War, the neutral clans have decided to acclimate into the society of shinobi again, bringing forth forgotten kekkei genkei, and wealth."

"Yeah, they're also coming up with all these new rules, I'm just waiting for Sakura or Naruto to hear that these clans want Sasuke either banished, killed, or married into one of them so they don't have to worry about another berserk Uchiha," Kiba snorted.

"Well, that's… that is a decision for the Shinobi Union now," Hinata whispered.

"True," Kiba shrugged.

"So how are things with Hajime?" Kiba asked.

"He's a very healthy and happy baby," Hinata smiled then.

"I bet," Kiba grinned.

"How are things with you and Ino?" Hianta asked then.

"Don't ask," Shino whispered to her but it was too late as she saw Kiba's wind up and then he was in on his frustrations' rant.

"I don't know! I mean the sex is great, and she's hot as hell, but she's just… she's obsessed with the ink freak! And I don't know what to do. Every time I try to talk to her about ending whatever she and the ink freak have she gets mad at me and shuts me down, every time, and she won't listen to reason. Hell, she's even starting to smell like him, and if I didn't happen to know he's out of the village on assignment then I would think she was sleeping with him!" Kiba raved.

"Sai and Ino were assigned to help one another after the war by Haruno Sakura," Hinata pointed out gently. She was willing to bet that a lot of Sakura's living arrangement assignments had forged deep bonds, and though she and Naruto weren't close they were still friends.

"I get that, I get it's just… she's MY girlfriend, and she doesn't get why it bothers me that she's covered in another guy's scent, head to toe," Kiba grouched.

"Perhaps you should try to talk to her?" Shino rasped.

"I will when you talk to whoever it is that you've been crushing on," Kiba smirked.

Hinata chuckled as her boys got into another argument, Kiba being loud and Shino cutting down his arguments in one sentence or less. It was cute, at least to her it was cute.

Ignoring their arguments she started looking over the menu again as her mind wandered. If what Kiba was saying and there were new prominent clans moving into Konoha then more than likely someone would demand an arranged marriage to Uzumaki Naruto, he was the world's hero after all. And that thought had her heart sinking, she was never going to get Naruto's attention if there were women being arranged to meet him. Perhaps she should give him up now.

But she loved him her heart whispered.

And she had Sakura's support so Hinata had a faint hope that perhaps she would be able to woe Naruto.

* * *

"Alright, now sit back, relax, and don't move," Tsunade ordered as he sat in the exam room. He shivered a bit at the chills coursing up his spine but he did as he was told.

Today was not the day he was getting his arm, but it was apparently the start. Tsunade slowly unwrapped his stump and he watched in a bit of horror as she prodded his sensitive flesh. Naruto hated his stump being exposed. It was weird and uncomfortable.

"This healed up well, Sakura did good work, nerve endings are intact and the bone is smooth," Tsunade commented and it was only then that Naruto felt her withdraw her chakra from his stump. "Any phantom pains or irritation?"

"Um…" he thought it over. "Sometimes, but only at night, and it stops when I stand in front of the mirror," he admitted. "And it's overly sensitive."

"That's normal," Tsunade assured him.

"I guess," he shrugged.

"What is it?"

"Why is Sakura avoiding me, I know she's the one who's supposed to be helping you with this project, and I've heard others say she works on them," Naruto admitted.

Tsunade sighed.

"She has started her children's home and her clinic, she's also a surgeon in my hospital, and she's a volunteer medic, she's an ANBU medic as well, she's busy Naruto," Tsunade explained and he frowned.

A part of him knew that Sakura was busy, she was always busy, always had something to do, always needed elsewhere, and it had never really bothered him before. But now it felt as if she were actively avoiding him and he couldn't stand it anymore. He wanted to talk to his best friend again and he wanted to sort things out with her.

"Is she avoiding me?" he asked.

"Why do you ask Naruto?" Tsunade arched her brow and he sighed.

"I did something stupid, and I get how stupid it was, but I just… I want to apologize to her and talk about it again," he admitted.

"Give her time Naruto, Sakura always comes back around for you," Tsunade pointed out.

He nodded.

"Today I will be infusing Hashirama's cells into the lower part of your stump to begin the bonding process for your prosthetic," Tsunade said calmly as she picked up a syringe and lifted it.

"I want you to pay attention for the side affects of nausea, throbbing pain in the stump, and infection. You will possibly be ill from this first injection, but hopefully, your body will accept the cells rather than eradicate them, if they are eradicated we will work with the bacteria rather than the virus and see if that should have a different results," Tsunade said as she picked up a cotton ball and soaked it in alcohol.

"Um… is this safe?"

"All of the test subjects have survived this part of the procedure so far," Tsunade said.

"Uh…" he started. "OW!"

"It's easier when you don't know it's coming," Tsunade smirked as she withdrew the needle. "You'll be back tomorrow, and for the next three days, if there's any troubles come in immediately. Ask for myself or Sakura, you will be taken care of promptly."

"Thanks granny," he grinned a bit as he picked up his shirt again.

"Naruto, everything between you and Sakura will work itself out, do not force her before she's ready."

"I just… I don't know what to do." He admitted the misery in his confession, but he couldn't stand Sakura avoiding him much longer. It had almost been a month and a half since their kiss and she was no where to be found. She wasn't even at her apartment when he went to check on her there!

He had used Sage mode to check; and none of his clones had luck finding her either. If he didn't happen to know from Kakashi that she wasn't on assignment he wouldn't even think her to be in the village.

"It'll work out Naruto, girls are complicated," Tsunade smirked and Naruto's eyes widened. Tsunade knew.

"How'd you…?"

"I've seen it for years Naruto, but now you're dealing with it and however this turns out I'm rooting for you. Sakura deserves a good guy in her life, and she needs you just as much as you need her. Just give her time, you think it over and she'll work it over and when you're ready you two should talk about it. But not before you're both ready," Tsunade shrugged.

"I don't think I'm the guy she'll want or love," he finally admitted. And hearing himself say that aloud was startling to him and his pride. He hadn't intended to ever admit that. Despite his talk with Hinata he hadn't ever intended to admit that.

"Perhaps, perhaps not, but no matter what you two have been to hell and back together and you need each other," Tsunade shrugged

"I just… I guess she's right, and I hurt her to try to prove her wrong, and I'm worried she'll never forgive me," Naruto admitted.

"She'll forgive you Naruto, you're her best friend," Tsunade shrugged.

"Tahnks," Naruto smiled weakly.

"Now get out of here, I have more patients to help today than just you and I believe Kakashi has an assignment for you," Tsunade dismissed.

He just smiled as he left the exam room and pulled on his jacket. Perhaps Sakura and he would be alright, he didn't know, but he was very scared that he had lost her. The kiss was the wedge between them, perhaps he should be the first to cave again and go apologize to her. After nearly a month and a half of her avoiding him, he wanted his best friend back, he missed her.

Grumbling he walked into the biting cold and winced, his eyes widened as he saw Sakura's pink form hurrying through the street and he jogged after her.

* * *

 **Uh... sorry for the long wait for updates. I'm kind of cursed in the luck department, I have to be, else there's a god out there of whom I've pissed off and he hates me. In my case I can never tell. Oh well, updates are regular again, this weekend I'll catch up all UtDI... Stories and go from there.**

 **That's all for now folks.**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love =)**


	44. Part 1: Chapter 44

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 44**

Itching was… well, it was the center of his attention as he sat on his bed and tried not to itch his stump. It wasn't easy, it wasn't even simple. No, it was insanity and it was tearing him apart at this moment as he sat on his bed going over the past week. It wasn't fun, it wasn't easy, but he was seeing now that things were changing. It wasn't an easy admittance, but the world was different from what it had been before. It was maddening.

Getting up he yanked on his jacket then as he left his apartment and walked down the stairs. January, it was an unforgiving month but at this moment it felt good to be in the cold, which distracted him from his itching problem.

It was time to get to work, again, he'd be working with the Hokage some more, and the Shinobi Union. It was interesting, and it was fun which was why he was looking for a distraction.

"Hinata!" he grinned and her black head turned around and he jogged up to her.

"N-Naruto!" she gasped.

"Yeah, it's been a while, I was… uh… out," he shrugged lamely as he stared at her.

"Uh-huh, have you started getting your prosthetic?" she asked in a near hum as they continued walking through the village.

"Yeah, it's itchy!" he complained.

"I've heard that," she nodded.

"Yeah, but it's so itchy that it's distracting, and I can't focus or think, the itching is all consuming," he sighed. It wasn't easy to explain the bone deep itchiness that he was feeling, it was semi-maddening at this point.

"I bet," Hinata smiled.

"How's everything been going for Tenten?" he asked thinking of a distraction at this moment. He needed the distraction.

"Hajime and Tenten are good, a bit stressed, but they're good. Being a new mom is different," Hinata explained.

"I get it," he lied. He really didn't get it, he'd never had a family or kids of his own and he was never going to be a mother.

"What are you doing?" Hinata asked.

"I was going to go to the Hokage's office to try to work. I can't leave my arm alone and if I itch it then Tsunade will have my head," he muttered. He knew that he couldn't touch his stump at the moment because of the bonding but he wanted to. He really, really, really wanted to itch it.

"Hmm… I was having tea if you would like to join me," she gestured when they stopped in front of the local tea shop. For a hot second he hesitated but he nodded.

"Sure," he smirked and walked with her.

"Come on," she smiled and gestured for him to follow her. Walking in he was immediately hit by the warmth of the shop as he followed Hinata. The scent of lavender caught his attention which had him looking Hinata over carefully, she smelled good.

"You smell good," he commented, and felt his face turn scarlet.

* * *

Hinata stumbled for a moment when she heard those words from his lips, and she stared at him as she felt her face turn scarlet. Her heart was slamming painfully in her ribs as the butterflies started tying her stomach in knots then as she turned back and looked at Naruto. He wasn't looking at her now.

"T-Th-T-Thank you…" she stammered as she continued through the tables to get to her seat. She didn't want to lose her composure, but Kami was it difficult not to when he had her mind in mush for a slight off handed comment from the man she loved.

"Yeah, what are you having?" he asked as they sat down.

"Jasmine tea," she replied as she placed the order and looked at him.

"Same then," he decided as he sat there staring at the table. Hinata could only look everywhere but at him at this moment as she tried not to turn into a nervous wreck. He was so close, and the fluttering in her stomach was distracting her for the first time in a year. It felt good, again, but it was also tying her tongue in knots.

"So… um… How… How are you?" Naruto stammered.

"Good… I've been well," she managed, she was a bit amazed she'd been able to talk to him with how heavy her tongue felt and how she felt like everything was in a knot. She wanted to reach out for him, she wanted… she wanted more, she wanted something, and it was something she hadn't thought about since before the war.

"That's good, I… I kind of miss living at the Hyūga compound," he said then.

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's… it's lonely, I kind of liked having the company. My place is too quiet," he sighed.

"You're welcomed to come over whenever you please," she smiled.

"Really!?" he perked up.

"Yes, it'll be nice to have the company," she admitted. Mostly she liked the idea of being that close to Naruto again. She had liked having him with her.

"I would think that your father wouldn't like having me around," he shrugged as they were served their tea. Hinata smiled politely at her server before they were alone again. Gingerly she picked up the warm tea and lifted it to her lips as she savored the flavor and the warmth.

"You're the hero of the world, my family would be honored to have your company," she hummed as she smiled a bit at him.

"Really!?" he perked up.

"Yes," she nodded as she felt a blush coming on her cheeks. It felt nice to think that he wanted her family's; and possibly her, company. She liked his company, and she was a bit hopeful that he liked her.

"Great! You're a great friend Hinata," he smiled.

She smiled back slightly.

"You're a great friend too," she hummed as she set her tea down. Naruto started babbling, and she enjoyed her afternoon with him.

* * *

 **Hey... Long time no update... So, I have a legitimate reason for my lack of updates aside from Murphy's Law ruling my life.**

 **I sent off three of my books, a few months back, and I've received two rejection notices so far. Yipee!? Rejections are both good and bad, so... I'm not certain how to feel about this. Anyway, I'm awaiting my third rejection notice, working on another book to submit for publication (which will probably be rejected), and I haven't been having a great life at the moment, making me busy. Sorry for the lack of updates, but we're getting regular again! =)**

 **That's all for now folks.**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love =)**


	45. Part 1: Chapter 45

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 45**

Hinata was certain that she could help Tenten, in fact, aside from knitting Hajime a ton of new things: blankets, hats, and she was working on booties; she was going over today to offer Tenten an afternoon off. Tenten was clearly exhausted, and with winter determinedly weighting down on them, it seemed like Tenten needed a break. Or a day at the bath or just a day to be Tenten and not a mom. Tugging her scarf tighter around her she walked up to Tenten's shop then determinedly trudged up the stairs before reaching up and knocking on the door.

There was some clattering, then a baby crying and Hinata winced at having disturbed the baby and mother.

"Hello?" Tenten hesitantly opened the door and Hinata smiled shyly then.

"Um… I came to see if I could help," she said uncertainly.

"Oh… uh, sure, come in, the place is a bit of a wreck right now, but…" Tenten trailed off sheepishly and Hinata just smiled as she walked in. It was a wreck, but Hinata wasn't put off by it, she doubted Tenten had had any time in the past two months to take care of herself properly. Shrugging off her coat she hung it up and took off her scarf.

"I'm here to give you the day off," Hinata said with a smile, she wavered a bit seeing Tenten's sad eyes but decided to push forward. "You need a day to be you, enjoy a hot bath and I will take care of Hajime, here, my father suggested this, he said it helped my mother."

Hinata pulled out an envelope and Tenten hesitantly took it and looked at it before looking at her.

"Have a nice day, Hajime and I will be fine," Hinata assured her friend as she reached down and gently picked up the screaming Hajime who was determinedly crying. Tenten cried then and hugged her.

"Thank you!" Tenten sobbed.

"Of course, you're a Hyūga," Hinata smiled and Tenten swiped her eyes weakly and then she was in the back room changing. Then Tenten jotted things down on a slip of paper, said it was instructions before she sighed.

"I'll be back tonight," Tenten called out and disappeared. Hinata gingerly looked at her screaming nephew; because that's how she was thinking of Hajime and she pressed her lips to his brow.

"You're exhausting mommy, but we're going to be alright for a day," Hinata whispered as she lifted up the instructions Tenten had left and smiled. "We're going to be okay," she whispered to the squalling baby.

He looked so like Neji that it pained her heart a bit as she carried her nephew to the kitchen to do as instructed and make up some milk for Hajime. They were going to be alright.

Hinata was sure she could do this, she wasn't a mom, but she could figure this out for a day to give Tenten a moment to catch her breath. Hajime eagerly started sucking on the bottle Hinata prepared him and Hinata wondered what her own child would be like.

* * *

Between work with the Hokage, and his prosthetic, he was a bit tired, and very busy. Which was why trying to even catch Sakura at a decent time, or when she was actively avoiding him, was difficult. Naruto just wanted things to be right between them again, she was his best friend, and he missed her. Well, she wasn't his best friend, Sasuke was, but Sakura was his teammate and one of his dearest friends, and he wanted to talk to her again. He wanted to be able to rant and rave about everything that was going on in his life, he wanted to take missions with her, and he wanted…

He wanted her back.

He wasn't looking for the romance, not if it was going to hurt her, but he did want his friend back. Which was why when he saw her walking towards him that evening he had to get to her before she noticed and turned around.

She saw him and she turned around as she tried to hurry off.

"Sakura! Wait up!" he shouted as he ran for her, she slowed, but he saw the reluctance in her slowing as she turned to him. Immediately Naruto was hit by her appearance, she looked like a walking corpse, she had the racoon eyes and pale, pasty complexion to go with it.

"Hey, um…" he didn't know what to say to her as he stood there staring down at her. So he decided to just try to say what Kakashi had said to him. "I… Kakashi and I did some talking, and I... I guess I owe you an apology."

He wasn't sure about hat still but now Sakura was looking at him through her lashes and he decided that if her being this exhausted was his doing then he really did owe her an apology.

"You do?" Sakura questioned and she looked bewilder so he tried to think of how to say this.

"Yeah… I hurt you. And I shouldn't have done that," he admitted. "I don't get it fully, but I… I think I can get it."

"Oh," she mumbled into her scarf.

"Sakura, I never meant to hurt you, or to force you, I just… I really…" he growled at the lack of words he had to say what he needed to say because he didn't know what he needed to say! He just wanted his best friend back.

"I get it, Naruto, and thank you," she smiled weakly.

"So… we're good again, will you stop avoiding me?" he asked.

"We were good!" she defended and he gave her a bland stare; he knew when Sakura was avoiding him, he wasn't THAT stupid.

"Sakura, you've been avoiding me all month," he sighed.

"I work, Naruto."

"Sakura, I know when you're avoiding me," he said patiently and saw her look away then as if she'd been caught.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just didn't want to hurt you any more than… than I already did, and I didn't want you to hurt me any more than you already did."

He was thunderstruck as he stared at her. She was avoiding him because she thought she'd hurt him!? That was ridiculous on many levels and once he got over the shock of what she had said then he'd have to set her straight. Sakura was one of the best friends he had ever had! She couldn't hurt him! well, she could, but it took a lot more than this to hurt him.

"Are we still friends?" he asked softly.

"Yes," she nodded. "I just can't… I can't deal with this right now. Perhaps we can go get a drink another time, I just… I have a lot on my plate right now, Naruto, and I don't have the energy to deal with more drama."

"I get it," he smiled a bit. "Hey, we'll do Ichiraku's another time, and… and we'll be good."

"Yeah," she smiled. They weren't good right now, but they would be good, he was sure of it. They'd been through far too much not to be good.

"Thanks Sakura," he said softly as she started to leave. She stopped and stared at him with wide, confused green eyes. "You could have dragged me along, and I didn't know that before, I see it now, and I'm… I'm sorry for hurting you, but thank you for not dragging it out."

"Oh," she nodded lamely and he smiled as he watched her hurry off. They weren't good right now, but they would be. Of this he was certain, as he stuffed his hand in his pockets and hurried through the busy street. He really wanted a drink right now, and he wasn't one for drinking but it seemed like a good idea right now as he found a little tavern and slipped in. He ordered sake and just sat there staring at the table.

Life after the war was supposed to be easier, and it was nearly a year later and Naruto didn't feel like it was any easier. If anything it was getting harder. Sighing he downed his drink and let the alcohol burn him as he poured another.

They would make the world better, they would create the peace Pervy Sage had foreseen and they would not fall again.

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed.

He really wished life would just be simple for once and that everything would stop being so difficult and uncooperative. It would be a nice change of pace. However, he knew that it wasn't going to happen and that it was going to be best to continue to work at it.

Now that things were straightened out with Sakura he had hopes that his life might continue smoothing out.

It was weird but he kind of wanted Hinata's company right now which had him swallowing his drink and sighing.

Tonight was really a night to be alone.

* * *

 **Nope, I'm not dead, life sucks, everything is falling apart, but hey, that's okay. I've been diligently working on UtDI behind the scenes, we've reached the branching off point! And I'm back with regular updates again.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love! =)**


	46. Part 1: Chapter 46

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Chapter 46**

Naruto kind of wondered what happened to March, it was like it hadn't even happened and now he was walking the Konoha street in April's bloom and he just wondered where the time was going. It'd been almost a year since the war, and there were preparations coming for the celebration of the war and things happening. He scratched the back of his head and sighed, had it really almost been a year?

He guessed it had, he hadn't heard anything from the teme since he had left, but Naruto wrote his friend often. It was just a bit difficult to hope for Sasuke coming home when Sasuke couldn't even write back.

And he and Sakura hadn't gone for drinks, in fact he hadn't seen much of her since his apology but that was alright, she was actually busy with everything.

"Hey Hinata," he smiled and jogged up to her seeing her shiny black hair as he took a bag from her.

"N-Naruto!" she stammered.

"Wow I haven't seen you in a while, you're looking good," he said as he started walking with her. her face turned a pretty shade of pink and he felt his heart do something funny and a part of him wanted to make her blush more.

"Th-Thank you, and you as well," she replied, a small smile on her lips.

"Thanks, I've been busy in Nami no Kuni recently," he admitted.

"Oh?" she blinked.

"Yeah, it's doing really good since the war, they make boat that sail the sky," he said.

"Really?"

"Yeah! It's so cool, I've been there talking about buying some for Konoha, Kakashi thinks it will be a great addition to Konoha," he mused. He kind of just wanted one so he could fly in it. Aside from shinobi with certain jutsus flight was nearly impossible, so he was interested in the flying boats.

"That will be interesting," Hinata said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, hey, what have you been up to?" he asked.

"Oh… n-nothing really, Kiba broke up with Ino, Sakura punched him out on the training grounds, and we've been on missions avoiding the village," she said.

"What!? They broke up?" Naruto blinked, this was news to him.

"Yes," she nodded.

"That's horrible, they were good together," Naruto lied. He honestly had no clue if Kiba and Ino were a good thing of a bad thing, he just wanted to keep Hinata's company a bit longer. She was really pretty like this, and he liked the way she was talking with him rather than to him.

"Kiba's scared of Sakura though," she filled in.

"Who isn't?" Naruto snorted, the wrath of Haruno Sakura was something everyone would fear. Even the teme would fear her temper if he was ever around.

Hinata chuckled a bit and he felt his smile broaden then.

"Hey, wanna do lunch?" he asked her.

"Huh?"

"Yeah, we haven't hung out for a while, and I was heading to Ichiraku's anyway, want to join?" he asked. He really hoped she said yes, he didn't want her to go just yet.

"S-Sure…" she stuttered.

"Great, come on," he lead the way and he found himself babbling. Yeah, babbling, he didn't think it counted as real talking because he was so excited and nervous about her even agreeing to come along. He told her all about his work with the Hokage, and everything that he was learning, he told her about his prosthetic and about hoe he couldn't wait to have two arms again, and he even told her about how he was thinking to move.

Hinata sat at the counter with him and listened.

"You've been busy," she smiled as they were served their noodles.

"Yeah," he sheepishly chuckled. "But it'll be worth it!"

"Of course," she nodded in agreement.

"What about you, other than missions with Kiba, what have you been up to?" he asked.

"Um… nothing, my clan and family duties and missions with Kiba," she murmured as she slurped the noodles.

"That's it?" he blinked.

She nodded.

"Well that sounds… routine," he blandly answered. Kurama kicked him for being lame about that, and Hinata smiled then.

"I like routine," she answered.

"Then good," he smiled.

Lunch was good, at least it was until there was a horde of girls just sighing and awing behind him on the street. It was weird, he didn't get why this happened to him all the time when he was hanging out with his friends. Or at Ichiraku's. What were they after?

* * *

Hinata frowned at the amassing horde of fangirls behind her and she felt out of place as she quietly continued eating the noodles. She understood why they were there, he was a celebrity around the world now, a war hero, and he was so handsome. With his blonde hair, and those blue eyes, and his disarming smile, he was a very handsome young man, and he was famous.

She got what all those girls saw, but she knew what they didn't see, and the pain of knowing her love was not superficial was wretched because he didn't know.

"What were you shopping for?" Naruto asked suddenly.

"Oh, some supplies for Tenten, Hajime has a bit of a cold," Hinata answered.

"How is little Hajime?" he asked.

"He's good, he's got a cold right now, but he's growing so fast," Hinata mused. The baby was turning into a hefty little tyke, and he was strong. His Byakugan was going to be very strong when he was older.

"Wow, how old is he?"

"Four months," she answered. Nearly five and he was a loud baby, a baby which always wanted to be held. And with Tenten trying to assemble her shop it wasn't easy for her. but Tenten was a happy mom, she had her baby, and Hinata and the Hyūga were always happy to help the young mother. Her father had a particular soft spot for Hajime and was notorious for hoarding the baby when Hajime was in her family's care.

"Wow," Naruto sighed.

"He's a happy baby, just not when he's sick," she mused.

"Hey, you ever think about kids and if you were to have them?" he blurted out. Hinata's tongue was in a thick, heavy knot then as she felt her face burst into flames. How could he ask that so casually!?

Slowly she nodded her head. She had daydreamt of having Naruto's child, and she would admit it to being one of her secret dreams, but she also knew that it was something she never spoke of. She had dreamt of having a little boy who looked like Naruto, and she dreamt of having a little girl who would look like her. No, she hadn't ever named her dream babies, but she had dreamt of what it would be like to be a family with Naruto and having two happy healthy children, and having sunny days in the grass as she watched him play with their kids. But alas, that was merely a dream.

"I never did, but after the war… I don't know, it seems like a good thing, kids, new beginnings after the destruction of the world," he said.

"Y-y-you'd be a g-g-good father," she stammered.

"You think?" he asked with a broad smile.

She nodded and smiled a bit, Naruto would be an excellent father, he would know how to connect with a child.

"Huh, I just never thought about it because I never had parents," he sighed.

"Be the parent you wanted," she whispered and felt her face heat up even more.

"That's a good though, and are you alright Hinata? Your face is really, really red," he pointed out. "Here have some water," her handed her a glass of water and she graciously sipped it.

"Thank you," she whispered. Setting the glass aside she sighed. Only with Naruto did her childish dreams come to the surface, and oh, how she wanted them to come true.

"Yeah, do you want to be a mom, Hinata?" he asked.

"One day," she admitted.

"Cool, perhaps we'll raise our kids together," he laughed. She smiled tightly and nodded her head.

"I gotta go," Naruto muttered when his phone buzzed. "Oh, do you have one of these?"

"No," she admitted. It was a recent import from the Kumogakure under the recent sharing treaty drawn up by the Shinobi Union.

"Well here," he grabbed a napkin and wrote down a bunch of numbers for her. "When you do, call me, or if you need help, call," he said.

"Thank you," she smiled and he laughed.

"Yeah, this thing is going to change the world and communication for forever!" he chuckled. "Later Hinata!"

"Goodbye Naruto," she waved him off as she picked up her bag and resumed heading home before Naruto had intercepted her. She really loved what time she got to spend with him, but sometimes he disarmed her so swiftly she couldn't even talk. If only he knew how half of what he said sounded like.

* * *

 **Hey, sorry, really painful month for me. I'm sorry for the lack of updates here, and I'm sorry the chapter is short, but I'm getting back in the swing of things. I was absent because my dog was fighting lymphoma, he lost the battle, and** **because I had to put down the world's best dog a little over a week and I'm dying inside, I'm writing again.**

 **I'm going to try to update this weekly again. Just be patient with me.**

 **That's all for now folks.**

 **Enjoy Until the Day I Love.**


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